Data protection in allergology: current status, challenges, and solutions

Abstract Background The processing of personal data is one of the key challenges of digitized healthcare. In allergology in particular—a field with an interdisciplinary focus and often long-term treatment processes—the handling of sensitive health data is of special importance. Objective This review examines the relevance of data protection in allergological practice and research. The focus is on the legal framework, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), as well as their practical implications for allergological care. Results Key data protection principles—such as data minimization, purpose limitation, transparency, storage limitation, and access control—may conflict with the medical need for continuous, long-term, and interdisciplinary data use. This applies in particular to electronic health records, telemedicine procedures, mobile health applications, cloud services, and the documentation of long-term therapies such as allergen-specific immunotherapy. Further challenges arise from a lack of interoperability, insufficient staff training, and increased requirements for differentiated access management. Conclusion Based on current studies and real-world examples, this review presents legal, technical, and organizational measures. These include differentiated access rights, pseudonymization for research purposes, end-to-end encryption, and digital consent tools that enable flexible and patient-centered consent. Data protection in allergology is not only a legal obligation but also a central prerequisite for quality, trust, and innovation in patient care. Future developments such as big data, artificial intelligence, and international collaborations require robust data protection concepts that bridge the gap between the reality of medical care and regulatory requirements.