Personal Information Sharing Agreements: Health Canada
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Overview
Health Canada relies on personal information to deliver many of its programs and services. In some cases, we need to share personal information with third parties to support critical functions. When we do, we follow the Privacy Act and federal privacy policies to ensure that privacy is protected and information is handled responsibly.
Personal Information Sharing Agreements
Whenever Health Canada shares personal information with a third party, we create a written agreement that outlines what information we will share, how the third party can use it, and the privacy and security safeguards in place. The type, format and duration of these agreements vary depending on the nature of each activity.
To promote transparency and meet the requirements of the Directive of Privacy Practices, Health Canada publishes summaries of agreements that involve the ongoing sharing of personal information
Types of agreements:
- Information Sharing Agreement (ISA) or Data Sharing Agreement (DSA): Used when Health Canada shares information with an external private or public sector organization.
- Information Sharing Arrangement (ISA): Used when Health Canada shares information with another federal institution.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): An agreement between two or more parties that outlines their shared goals, plans, and responsibilities. MOUs may include the sharing of personal information.
- Contract: Used when Health Canada shares personal information as part of a contractual relationship, the contract sets out the terms and conditions of the information sharing.
Sharing formats:
- One-way disclosure: One party shares personal information with another party.
- Two-way disclosure: Both parties share personal information with each other.
- Multi-party one-way disclosure: One party shares personal information with two or more parties.
- Multi-party two-way disclosure: More than two parties share personal information with each other.
Agreement lengths:
- Determinate agreement: Has a set end date.
- Indeterminate agreement: Has no set end date and remains in effect until terminated or replaced.
Personal Information Sharing Agreement summaries
- Memorandum of Understanding – Second Language Evaluation for Oral Proficiency: Overview of the conditions surrounding the administration of the Second Language Evaluation Oral Test regulated by the Public Service Commission
- MaxSys Staffing and Consulting: Request HR Contractor to Assist with Hiring
- Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Collaboration and Information Sharing With Respect to Pesticide Compliance And Enforcement
- Statement of Authority and Confidentiality Commitment from the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch of Health Canada Not to Publicly Disclose Non-Public Information Shared by The United States Food And Drug Administration
- Memorandum of Understanding for the Provision of Personal and Taxpayer Information for the Administration and Enforcement of the Canadian Dental Care Plan between the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada and Health Canada
- Information Sharing Arrangement between Health Canada and the Department of Employment and Social Development regarding the Canadian Dental Care Plan
- Data Sharing Agreement for Disclosure of Information About Medical Assistance in Dying