What are the Regulatory Requirements for Direct Identifiers?

Various regulations govern the handling of direct identifiers in histology. In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets stringent guidelines for the protection of personal health information, including direct identifiers. Similar regulations exist in other parts of the world, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. These regulations require that any use of direct identifiers must be carefully justified, and appropriate measures must be taken to ensure their protection.