Examining the Developing Legal Landscape for Healthcare Smart Contracts
Keywords:
smart contracts, blockchain, healthcare, law, regulation, validity, HIPAA, CURES Act, standardsAbstract
Smart contracts are self-executing contractual logic encoded in software code deployed on blockchains. Smart contracts could transform efficiency, security, and transparency across healthcare by automating complex multi-party data exchanges and business workflows. However, uncertainties remain regarding the legal validity and healthcare regulatory compliance of blockchain-based smart contracts. This analysis reviews the current legal foundations supporting the enforceability of healthcare smart contracts under US contract law. Limits imposed by healthcare privacy regulations and medical device safety oversight are also examined. Standards development guiding compliant design is summarized. The overall landscape continues maturing, but further clarity is still needed to enable robust development of transformative healthcare smart contract applications.
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