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A local health official is under fire after civil society organizations accused her of sharing the personal data of people with HIV to a private university for a school project.
Letícia Enedina López Moreno, the director of the Puerto Vallarta Municipal Council for the Prevention and Control of AIDS (COMUSIDA), allegedly gave a student a list of names and contact information for people living with HIV, according to a complaint filed by a COMUSIDA user who was contacted by the student to participate in a survey.
After being contacted by the organizations, the student confirmed that López Moreno provided her with the data, explaining that the agency was short on time and could not administer the questionnaire itself. López Moreno later admitted to the agreement with the university.
Organizations including Círculo Rojo, PrEP Vallarta, IncluY, and MOVii said that while the survey was anonymous, it did not justify releasing private information, including clinical diagnoses, to a private university without express authorization. They said the act violates Mexico’s Constitution, the General Law on Personal Data Protection, the General Health Law, and international principles that protect the privacy of people with HIV.
The groups are demanding an immediate administrative investigation, the suspension of all collaboration between COMUSIDA and the university, and the removal of those responsible, particularly the COMUSIDA coordinator. They are also calling for stricter data protection protocols and symbolic reparations for those affected.
“Informed consent is not optional; sharing personal data without authorization is a serious violation that puts the dignity and safety of historically vulnerable populations at risk,” the organizations said in a statement.
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