Rock the OneTrust Certified Privacy Pro Exam 2025 – Privacy Pros, Prepare to Shine!

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the processing of health data, which is classified as special category data, mandates a higher threshold of protection due to its sensitive nature. The GDPR explicitly requires that, in order to process such personal data, organizations must obtain explicit consent from the individual or establish another lawful basis for processing.

Explicit consent means that individuals must give their clear and specific agreement for their health data to be processed. This consent must be informed, unambiguous, and given freely. The regulation also outlines alternative lawful bases for processing, such as obligations in the field of employment law or the protection of vital interests, but for processing special category data like health information, relying solely on general consent does not suffice.

While public notification and employee consent are important aspects of data handling and privacy, they do not encompass the specific requirements on processing health data as outlined in GDPR. Therefore, the necessity of obtaining explicit consent or having another lawful basis establishes the critical framework for compliance when dealing with sensitive health information.