In August 2002, a new federal rule took effect that protects the privacy of individuals' health information and medical records. ¹ The rule, which is based on requirements contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), embodies important protections for minors, along with a significant degree of deference to other laws (both state and federal) and to the judgment of health care providers. These provisions represent a compromise between competing viewpoints about the importance of parental access to minors' health information and the availability of confidential adolescent health care services.