Colombia: Integration of Health Data Protection Regulations and the Case for International Health Data Transfers

As a result of various national government digital transformation initiatives, the Colombian regulation on health data has been constantly evolving. From scattered and out-of-date pieces of legislation to an increasingly articulated and updated set of norms, these reforms are aiming to enhance fundamental human rights of privacy and universal access to health care by facilitating the provision of health services and supporting research and innovation. In this context, the cross-border health data exchange throughout valid data transfers has become a critically important element in such evolution. Yet, several challenges remain to be overcome to achieve the desired policy outcomes.