The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted a new policy aimed at protecting patients’ neural data. The decision was made during the 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago on June 11, following a unanimous vote.
The resolution, known as Resolution 503, was introduced by Dr. Lynn Parry, a neurologist from Littleton, Colorado and member of the Colorado Delegation to the AMA. The measure draws on legislation passed in Colorado in 2024 that expanded consumer privacy protections to include neural data collected by neurotechnologies. This state law was led by Dr. Sean Pauzauskie of UCHealth in Fort Collins and then-Representative Cathy Kipp.
Resolution 503 formally defines neural data as “information obtained by measuring the activity of a person’s central or peripheral nervous system through the use of neurotechnologies,” while excluding “data inferred from nonneural information.” The policy expresses support for legislative and regulatory efforts to safeguard users of neurotechnology devices from potential harm.
Neurotechnologies are devices capable of recording or altering nervous system activity and can be either invasive or non-invasive. While these technologies have been used in clinical and research settings for years, their presence is growing in consumer markets outside traditional healthcare environments.
The AMA represents physicians nationwide through its House of Delegates, which includes about 700 members from over 120 national medical specialty societies and more than 50 state and territorial medical societies. The Colorado Medical Society (CMS), the largest physician organization in Colorado, sends an elected delegation of 12 physicians to participate in AMA policymaking.
Dr. Parry commented on the significance of the new policy: “It was due to the extraordinary efforts of Dr. Sean Pauzauskie and the Neurorights Foundation that the Colorado Medical Society not only had a policy on defining and protecting personal neural data but also succeeded in advocating for the state of Colorado to become the first in the nation to extend its state consumer data privacy law, the Colorado Privacy Act, to protect neural data. It was, therefore, a great privilege for the Colorado Delegation to the AMA House of Delegates to drive the adoption of this critical resolution that, with the support of the American Academy of Neurology, has now become a new policy of the American Medical Association.”
Dr. Pauzauskie added: “The AMA’s new policy represents a defining moment for the protection of patient and consumer neural data – in addition to its clear language on what does and does not constitute neural data, paving the way for further state and federal efforts, it also opens the next frontiers of fair access to and freedom from bias from neurotechnologies. We applaud the AMA’s leadership in so clearly focusing global attention on these critical questions.”
Concerns about misuse by commercial entities prompted lawmakers in Colorado to pass HB24-1058—the first law extending state privacy protections specifically to neural data—which took effect in August 2024. Dr. Pauzauskie played a key role during this process and wrote after its passage: “HB24-1058 provides a simple, reasonable, balanced approach towards the protection of patients, and clear standards to promote and incentivize innovation in the coming age of neurotechnology for Colorado. Colorado takes care of its own and as a member of the Colorado physician community, I felt that I needed to help protect the data that makes us us.”
He continued: “Physicians in Colorado are responsible for initiating the first law in the nation for the protection of privately collected biological and neural data, a real win for patients and trust in the era of medical-grade consumer neurotechnology. I feel a deep sense of honor knowing I worked to create this change for my patients.”
The adoption by AMA brings national attention among physicians with specific definitions regarding neural data collection while highlighting an urgent need for updated regulations as technology evolves faster than current legal frameworks.
