Allergy-record anonymisation removes personal data from drug allergy and adverse-reaction records, which are health data under UK GDPR Art. 9(1). The fields worth keeping are set by NICE clinical guideline CG183 on drug allergy: the drug involved, the signs and symptoms, the severity, and the date of the reaction. anonym.plus keeps all of those and clears the identifiers around them, on your own device.
When this applies
Safety registries and local audits need accurate trigger and reaction data, but the record names the patient and the reporting clinician. Reports to the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme run under the pharmacovigilance duties in Part 11 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, and are a separate route from any anonymised local analysis.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the record into anonym.plus on a local device.
- It finds patient and reporter identifiers.
- The drug, reaction, and severity fields stay.
- Swap identifiers with the map off for true anonymity.
- Save the anonymous file on your device.
What you need to provide
- The allergy or reaction record (DOCX, PDF, or export).
- Replace with the map off for anonymity.
- Optional language setting.
Patient data entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | patient name → [PATIENT] |
| Names | PERSON | reporting clinician → [REPORTER] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | reaction date → [DATE] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | 0113 496 0123 → [PHONE] |
| NHS Number | UK_NHS | NHS 943 476 5919 → [NHS_NO] |
| Location | LOCATION | clinic → [CLINIC] |
Compliance achieved
- Keeps the fields NICE clinical guideline CG183 expects in a drug allergy record: the drug, the signs and symptoms, the severity, and the date.
- Reporting to the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme runs under the pharmacovigilance duties in Part 11 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, separately from any anonymised local analysis.
- Strips the UK GDPR Art. 9(1) health identifiers around those fields.
- The clinical record itself is held under DPA 2018 Schedule 1, Part 1, paragraph 2 (health or social care purposes).
- Dropping the alias key is what makes UK GDPR Recital 26 available for pooled safety analysis.
- On-device work supports NHS data-residency expectations.
Anonymise allergy records offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
The drug and reaction fields stay and are not usually identifying on their own. But a very rare allergy tied to a locality can contribute to re-identification, so weigh the residual risk. Never remove the allergy record from the patient's own file — NICE CG183 exists because missing allergy documentation causes harm.
Frequently asked questions
Is the drug and reaction data removed?
No. The drug, the signs and symptoms, the severity, and the date all stay, because those are the fields NICE clinical guideline CG183 says a drug allergy record must carry. Only personal identifiers such as the patient and reporter names are removed.
How does this relate to a Yellow Card report?
They are separate routes. A suspected adverse drug reaction is reported to the MHRA through the Yellow Card Scheme under the pharmacovigilance duties in Part 11 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, and that report is made in its own right. Anonymising a local copy for audit does not replace it.
Can I pool anonymous allergy records?
Yes, once they are genuinely anonymous. With no alias key retained and no residual re-identification risk, UK GDPR Recital 26 puts the pooled set outside the regulation, so it can be analysed for safety signals without consent or an Art. 9 condition.