Privacy in Health Apps: What You Should Know

Health apps collect some of the most sensitive information about you—your medical conditions, medications, symptoms, and daily habits. Yet many popular health apps share this data with third parties or store it on remote servers where it could be compromised.

When evaluating a health app's privacy practices, start by reading the privacy policy. Look for clear statements about where your data is stored and who has access to it. Be wary of vague language about "improving services" or "sharing with partners."

On-device storage, like Apple's SwiftData, means your information never leaves your phone. It's not transmitted to company servers, which means it can't be hacked, sold, or subpoenaed. This is the gold standard for health data privacy.

Consider what the app actually needs to function. A medication tracker doesn't need your location. A mood journal doesn't need access to your contacts. Be suspicious of apps that request excessive permissions.

HIPAA, the US health privacy law, doesn't apply to most consumer health apps. These apps aren't covered entities, so they're not required to protect your health information the way a doctor's office would. This makes reading privacy policies even more important.

At Taper AI, we believe your medical data is your business alone. That's why we built our app with local-only storage from the ground up. Your tapering plans, mood logs, and medication information never leave your device.