2nd watchdog alert--google

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Link to this following alert:

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=24594

Breaking news - February 02, 2009

Consumer Watchdog To Google: Publicly Disclose Your Lobbying Positions On

Electronic Medical Record Provisions In Stimulus Bill

CONTACT: Jerry Flanagan, (310) 889-4912

Santa , CA -- A national consumer group today called upon Google to

publicly disclose its lobbying positions on the electronic medical record

provisions of the financial stimulus legislation given a new account by an

independent journalist that Google's presence on the bill was felt on

Capitol Hill.

Consumer Watchdog called on Google's public policy team for an immediate

answer. The letter follows:

Boorstin

Director of Corporate and Policy Communications

Google, Inc.

Pablo Chavez

Senior Policy Counsel

Google, Inc.

Dear Mr. Boorstin and Mr. Chavez,

Last week Google wrote that our consumer group's report of a rumored Google

lobbying effort on Capitol Hill, reportedly aimed at limiting the current

prohibition on the sale of electronic medical records in the economic

stimulus bill, was " 100 percent false and unfounded. " The Google blog

appears at:

http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2009/01/consumer-watchdog-wrong-on-me

dical.html

Now an independent journalist has produced other reports of Google's

lobbying over the medical privacy provisions of the stimulus legislation.

Lauer, iHealthBeat Features Editor, wrote on January 30 that " [t]wo

other privacy advocates and a Congressional staffer who did not want to go

on record said they have heard reports of Google representatives contacting

Congress members' offices. " Lauer's article is available at:

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/Features/2009/Stimulus-Package-Brings-Out-Wide-Ra

nge-of-Privacy-Opinions.aspx

Currently, Google Health provides for the transfer of electronic medical

records from health care providers to Google's database. While Google's

methods for obtaining and using records are opaque, clearly Google has an

interest in these provisions of the stimulus legislation, and as Mr. Lauer's

article illustrates, Google's presence on the Hill was felt.

Google's purported mission is to create open information across the world.

We ask now that you explain clearly and openly the policy positions Google

advocated on the Hill with regard to the electronic medical technology

provisions of the stimulus package, as well as the positions Google will

advocate this week on the same legislation in the U.S. Senate.

Lobbying on Capitol Hill is, as you know, a less than transparent enterprise

with policy positions advocated orally, with no paper trail. Given Google's

adamant denial of the claim that Google lobbied to alter current medical

privacy protections, countervailing reports from multiple sources that

Google lobbied on these provisions, and your company's outspoken commitment

to openness, we ask that Google immediately and publicly disclose its

positions with regard to the electronic medical records technology section

in the stimulus bill, including any amendments Google sought in the

legislation previously or will seek in the Senate. The U.S. Senate, the

American public and Google users deserve no less.

Sincerely,

Jerry Flanagan

(310) 889-4912

cc:

Schmidt, CEO

Larry Page, Co-Founders

Sergey Brin, Co-Founder

Peace be with you,

Pattie

Without life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not possible.

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