People stand in line outside a community vaccination center administering the BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine imported by Fosun Pharma in Hong Kong, China, March 17, 2021. (PHOTO / BLOOMBERG)
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Tuesday refuted a media report which claimed that a vaccine manufacturer was empowered to collect the personal information of vaccinated individuals.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, a spokesman for the government said the report which alleged that the purchase agreement between the government and Fosun Industrial Co, Limited had clauses which empowered Fosun to collect personal information was “completely untrue” and “misleading”.
"In the purchase agreement entered between the HKSAR government and Fosun, there are no clauses which empower or enable Fosun or any third party to collect, access, or via any means to obtain or use the personal information of vaccinated individual,” the spokesman was quoted in the statement as saying.
“The HKSAR government has always accorded great importance to personal data privacy, in particular the protection of medical records and relevant information,” he added.
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The spokesman said that there are clear and stringent guidelines and procedures for the collection and use of personal information under the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme in Hong Kong, which also strictly follows the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.