In accordance with a new policy issued by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, since August 14, the data of confirmed cases of four categories of infectious diseases—namely, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and syphilis—have been linked to individuals' ID cards, in order to achieve real-time cross-regional tracking of these diseases nationwide.

Some argue that this transformative system is like a double‑edged sword: While bringing multiple benefits—improving the precision of epidemic monitoring and strengthening infectious disease control, it also raises public concerns about potential risks including privacy breaches, employment discrimination and social ostracism.

Zhang Lin (News.longhoo.net): From the perspective of public health, this new method is a pivotal turning point in China's infectious disease control system, shifting it from a reactive posture to a proactive early‑warning framework.

Previously, infectious disease data were scattered across different regions and trapped in isolated "information silos," which severely hampered cross‑regional prevention and control efforts. If an HIV patient sought treatment in a different region, the local hospital could not obtain the patient's prior diagnosis records. This may not only delay the "golden window" for effective therapy but also heighten the risk of further transmission. The new initiative successfully solves that dilemma.

The benefits of this reform are more than what is mentioned above. It will greatly boost diagnostic and treatment efficiency, eliminate the waste of resources caused by repeated testing, and empower doctors to devise precise treatment plans immediately upon a patient's arrival. In the Hainan Province pilot, the system successfully mobilized 23 Hepatitis C patients to receive treatment. Meanwhile, it also reduced the cross‑province loss‑to‑follow‑up rate by 62 percent and raised the mother‑to‑child transmission prevention success rate to 99.1 percent. The new practice has greatly helped epidemic monitoring and tracking.

However, behind this higher efficiency are concerns about individuals' loss of control over their personal data. Despite strict privacy safeguards that have already been put in place, lapses are inevitable. If a patient's infectious disease information is accidentally disclosed, he or she could be exposed to a range of adverse responses—including employment discrimination and social isolation.

Xu Jianhui (Anhuinews.com): Currently, infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C still spread widely and pose substantial prevention and containment challenges. By linking disease diagnosis data to the national ID card, local disease control agencies can perform timely screening at critical points—such as premarital examinations, surgical procedures and routine health checks—thereby effectively breaking the chain of transmission.

However, the convenience that technological progress brings also carries inherent risks. The greatest danger lies in the potential for privacy breaches. Personal data contained in an ID card are highly sensitive; once it is linked to confirmed infectious disease records, a flaw in the system's access control mechanisms could allow illicit actors to obtain that information, leading to severe encroachments on patients' privacy rights. Moreover, Hepatitis B and HIV patients have long been subject to discrimination in employment, marriage and social settings. If a patient's disease data were to be obtained by non‑professionals, discrimination could intensify even further.

To mitigate these risks, technically, the national disease control system should reinforce information security safeguards by using advanced encryption techniques to prevent data theft or tampering, and establishing stringent access control mechanisms so that, in the event of an incident, accountability can be clearly traced. Only by safeguarding citizens' lawful rights can this measure truly guard the public's health. BR

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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