Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
Yikes. Glad he's recovering. Glad you are, too.

I just found out that the FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Service uses an invalid security certificate. Now, that's not a big deal to individuals who know that the minute they submit an insurance claim, their entire medical history becomes available to basically anyone who wants to exploit it... but it's likely to deter a lot of individuals who are bombarded with warnings about computer security on TV, but who don't receive the equivalent warnings about health information security.

More importantly, it should deter every health care provider from filling out the form electronically, lest all their records be compromised.

Which means that to file an adverse event report, a health care practice has to physically fill out a piece of paper, probably the last thing they want to do in their busy environment. Which has got to be a big reason right there why so few adverse events are ever reported at all...

And all because the FDA can't be bothered to use an internet security provider that's recognized by the major browsers.
Sounds like Govt contracting at its best (sarcasm intended).

I ended up spending some time in the ER yesterday (coworker had to go by ambulance, so I went to stay w/her til her son arrived). It was a H1N1 stew pot. I stood next to the door, well away from the masked patients in the waiting area, and am hoping I didn't catch anything. Don't worry, I'll stay home if I end up coming down with it.