THE LEGAL COMMITTEE

Topic Summary

The ethics of privacy for medical data concerns the moral and legal issues surrounding the collection, use, and sharing of personal health information. In the digital age, medical data is increasingly being stored and transmitted electronically, raising concerns about data security, patient consent, and the appropriate use of personal health information. There are several key ethical principles at play when it comes to the privacy of medical data, including respect for patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Patients have the right to control who has access to their personal health information and how it is used, and healthcare providers have a duty to ensure that patient information is kept confidential and secure. However, there are supporters for sharing medical data in order to improve healthcare outcomes, such as conducting medical research, developing new treatments, and improving public health. In these cases, it is important to balance the benefits of data sharing with the need to protect patient privacy and maintain trust between patients and healthcare providers. To navigate these complex ethical issues, policymakers, healthcare providers, and patients must work together to establish clear guidelines and regulations around the collection, use, and sharing of medical data.

Director’s Letter

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to Harvard National Model United Nations! It is such an honor to be able to welcome you to this year’s conference. My name is Ellen Hwang and I will be serving as the director of the Legal Committee. 

I am a senior at Harvard College from Southern California concentrating in Sociology with a secondary in Integrative Biology and a language citation in French. My town has a diverse culture of immigrants, so I grew up surrounded by quinceañeras and family cookouts. These experiences truly broadened my horizons, helping me gain a greater appreciation for the global community. While I have been fortunate to chair various Model UN committees, this conference will be my first college conference. Outside of MUN, I am heavily involved in the arts; I play the cello and work as a graphic designer. I am also passionate about teaching: as an art and design teacher, I teach topics ranging from art history to graphic novels.

The focus of this committee, medical privacy, is a very ubiquitous and relevant topic today. It is a highly complex issue that is interwoven with how medical providers treat patients and advance the state of the medical field. 

I cannot wait to see you all at HNMUN 2024! I am excited to get to know all of you over the course of the conference. If you have any questions or concerns now or during the conference, feel free to reach out to me and I will do my best to help. 

Sincerely,

Ellen Hwang

Director, Legal Committee

Harvard National Model United Nations 2024