[evercast]

I have some doubt with respect to whether what author claims is "medical data" is indeed medical. Practically speaking, the data he mentions seems like the things collected by Apple Watch and stored in the Health app. There is indeed heart rate tracking, but can we really label this data as medical? IMHO "medical" would relate more to professional diagnosis, treatment etc. which according to Apple is stored in an encrypted form [1]. Garmin devices also collect heart rate, sleep stats etc. and I have never thought of these as medical (health-related yes, but not medical). The line is thin though.

Since you work in the industry, perhaps you could share your opinion how such data should be treated?

[1] https://www.apple.com/healthcare/health-records/

[the_errorist]

> menstrual cycle length, biological sex and age, whether user is logging sexual activity, cervical mucus quality, etc.

These are hardly data collected by Apple Watch, unless someone is being inventive with one. These come from HealthKit. Which is alarming as HealthKit can also sync your EHR from health providers.

[chmod775]

Diagnostic data is a category of medical data. So yes, that stuff is considering medical data.

[mr_toad]

> There is indeed heart rate tracking, but can we really label this data as medical?

The detailed data (ECG level) is medical enough that devices that measure it are regulated. That’s why some features aren’t available in some countries.

[kube-system]

Even if "health data" and "medical data" aren't synonymous, it's a distinction without a difference to their privacy importance.

[lazka]

According to the GDPR health data is a special category that needs extra care and heart rate falls in that category:

"Information derived from the testing or examination of a body part or bodily substance"

[the_errorist]

"cervical mucus quality" sounds like it fits that definition.