RateMDs faces certified class-action lawsuit over alleged breach of privacy

A class action lawsuit against doctor review website RateMDs has been certified by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, alleging it breaches provincial privacy laws.

A class action lawsuit against doctor review website RateMDs.com has been certified by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

The lawsuit was brought by Dr. Ramona Bleuler, a Vancouver-based physician, alleging that RateMDs breaches provincial privacy laws and “violates her right to be left alone” by posting profiles and ratings of health professionals without their consent.

Privacy has also been breached by not verifying the accuracy of reviews and ranking health professionals in the same area by reviews, the claim says.

Bleuler alleges in the lawsuit that her information is being exploited by a for-profit company and, further, that health professionals cannot remove their profiles.

RateMDs.com features profiles of health professionals that contain contact information and reviews that users submit.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of health professionals in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.

According to a summary of its defence, included in the court filings, RateMDs said the information on their website is publicly available and non-personal, and therefore does not violate privacy.

“The defendants say health professionals, including the plaintiff, do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy over the ratings and reviews published on RateMDs.com,” the summary states, adding the defendants believe “the public interest required the reviews to remain available on the website, as they help prospective patients make informed decisions about engaging with certain health professionals.”