"New federal medical privacy regulations, touted by the Clinton administration as a landmark of patient protection, will for the first time explicitly permit doctors, hospitals, other health services and some of their business associates to use personal health records for marketing and fundraising.

The rules were included in the federal regulations after a months-long public relations effort by the industry. Under the exemptions, doctors, clinics, hospitals and others that normally have access to medical records -- along with business associates working under contract with them -- will be allowed to send out individualized health information and product promotions."