Health Apps and GDPR Compliance: What to Look For

Many health apps claim to be "GDPR compliant." But what does that actually mean, and how can you tell if an app genuinely protects your health data?

Here's what to look for when evaluating health app privacy practices.

What GDPR Actually Requires

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) sets rules for how companies handle personal data of EU residents. For health data — classified as "special category data" — protections are even stricter.

Key GDPR requirements include:

Lawful basis for processing. The company must have a valid legal reason to collect and use your data. For health apps, this is usually your explicit consent.

Purpose limitation. Data should only be used for the purposes you agreed to, not for other undisclosed purposes.

Data minimization. Only data necessary for the service should be collected.

Accuracy. Data must be kept accurate and up to date.

Storage limitation. Data shouldn't be kept longer than necessary.

Security. Appropriate security measures must protect your data.

Your rights. You have rights to access, correct, delete, and export your data.

Claims vs Reality

"GDPR compliant" has become a marketing checkbox. Many companies claim compliance while doing the minimum required — or less.

What "GDPR Compliant" Might Actually Mean

Minimal compliance: Has a privacy policy. Allows data deletion on request. Responds to access requests within the required timeframe. This meets technical requirements but may not reflect strong privacy practices.

Strong compliance: Data stored in EU. Limited data sharing. Clear, understandable policies. Privacy-first architecture. Data minimization in practice. Regular security audits.

The same "GDPR compliant" label covers a wide range of actual practices.

Questions to Ask

When evaluating a health app's privacy practices, look beyond the compliance claim:

Where Is Data Stored?

GDPR applies to how EU residents' data is handled, regardless of where it's stored. But data stored in the EU has stronger protections than data stored elsewhere.

Ask specifically: Which country? Which data center provider? Some "GDPR compliant" apps store data on US servers, which are subject to US law.

Is Data Shared With Third Parties?

Read the privacy policy carefully. Who receives your data? Analytics providers? Advertising networks? Cloud service providers? "Partners"?

Even with user consent, extensive data sharing undermines the spirit of privacy protection.

What Happens to Data When You Delete Your Account?

Is data truly deleted, or just "anonymized" and retained? How long does deletion take? Is it automatic or do you have to specifically request it?

Who Processes Your Data?

The app company might not be the only one processing your health data. Sub-processors (cloud providers, analytics tools, AI services) may also have access. Are these disclosed?

What's the Data Retention Period?

How long is your data kept? Some companies retain data indefinitely. Others delete after a specific period. There should be a clear policy.

Is There Real Security?

Encryption in transit? At rest? Who holds the encryption keys? Are there regular security audits? Has the company had any data breaches?

Red Flags

Watch for these warning signs:

Vague privacy policies. If you can't understand what they do with your data, that's a problem.

No clear data location disclosure. If they won't say where data is stored, it's probably somewhere you wouldn't want it.

Extensive third-party sharing. Long lists of "partners" who receive your data should raise concerns.

Advertising-based business model. If the app is free and ad-supported, your data is the product.

No easy data export. If you can't get your data out, you're locked in and dependent on their good behavior.

Complex consent flows. If agreeing to data use requires accepting pages of terms or navigating confusing options, they're not prioritizing your understanding.

Green Flags

Signs of genuinely strong privacy practices:

Clear, specific data location. "All data stored in Germany" is better than "data stored on secure servers."

Minimal third-party processing. Using few external processors, and disclosing who they are.

No advertising or data monetization. Business model based on subscriptions, not data exploitation.

Easy data export. Download everything anytime in standard formats.

Transparent privacy documentation. Clear explanations of what's collected, why, and how it's protected.

Independent security verification. Audits, certifications, or penetration testing by third parties.

The Healthbase Approach

At Healthbase, we take privacy seriously:

EU data storage. All data stored in Germany.

EU processing. Data processed entirely within EU jurisdiction.

No US dependencies. We don't route your health data through US tech giants.

No data monetization. Your health data is never sold or used for advertising.

Full data export. Download your complete data anytime.

Clear privacy policy. We explain what we do in language you can understand.

GDPR compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. For health data, you deserve more than minimum compliance — you deserve genuine privacy protection.