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Frequently Asked Questions About HL7 IP Licensed at No Cost

ACCESSING HL7's INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP)

  1. Where can I find the IP?

    HL7 is licensing the use of much of its IP at no cost. You can find all of our Standards under the Standards tab from the home page.

  2. What are the steps to download the IP?

    All users must complete a click-through license registration process to participate. Members use their usual log in and non-members need to create an account. Find the Standard you want via the Standards tab and follow the prompts including agreeing to the terms of the license.

  3. Why do non-members have to create a userid and password (register on the website) to download?

    We need to uniquely identify each individual in order to provide a license.

  4. When did HL7 announce that the IP was going to provided free of charge?

    HL7 has on several occasions announced its intention to license its standards and select IP free of charge since it made the first announcement on September 4, 2012. Provision of standards and other selected HL7 IP under free-of-charge licenses commenced on April 1, 2013.

WHAT MATERIAL IS BEING LICENSED AT NO COST?

  1. What material is being made available at no cost?

    Standards that have already received ANSI approval will be licensed at no cost. Additionally, published implementation guides, profiles and Domain Analysis Models (DAM), and current (although not expired) Standards for Trial Use (STU) will be licensed at no cost. 

  2. What other select IP is available besides Standards and Implementation Guides?

    Profiles and Domain Analysis Models are considered other select IP. The HL7 Board will determine on a case-by-case basis whether other IP such as tools will be licensed for at no cost.

  3. Will DAMS and Functional Profiles still be licensed at no cost?

    Yes.

  4. Can I download the whole Normative Edition at no cost?

    Yes. The most current version of the Normative Edition is available for download at no cost to non-members three months after publication. Members have immediate access to all versions of the Normative Editions.

LICENSE AGREEMENT TERMS

  1. Will HL7 standards be in the public domain?

    No. Our standards and selected IP will be available at no cost under a licensing agreement by which HL7 will retain its copyright and specific terms will apply.

  2. Will users be able to modify HL7 standards?

    No. HL7 will retain the copyright and will follow current processes to make any needed changes in the standards. Users will be freely able to study, implement and develop products based on HL7 standards and to create implementation profiles under the proposed licensing terms. The HL7 member community will continue to develop and maintain HL7 standards and other HL7 products through HL7 International as an accredited standards development organization (SDO), and in collaboration with its international affiliates, which also produce realm localizations.

  3. What is a derivative work?

    An example of a derivative work is an implementation guide. The US Copyright Office defines derivative work as follows: A derivative work is a work based on or derived from one or more already existing works. Also known as a "new version," a derivative work is copyrightable if it includes what copyright law calls an "original work of authorship." Any work in which the editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications represent, as a whole, an original work of authorship is a derivative work or a new version.

  4. I am an organizational member. What types of derivative works am I authorized to create?

    Under the normal license terms, HL7 organizational members are authorized to create the following derivative works:

    • Implementation guides that incorporate excerpts of the standards. These should acknowledge HL7 as the copyright holder of the excerpted material and may be distributed internally and to your customers.
    • Profiles that assert conformance to HL7. These can be distributed without limitation.
    • HL7 material that has been translated into executable code or other machine processable form which results in the creation of a new work (in the form of an adaptation) that implements the material and is not regarded as a reproduction. Such machine processable implementations (for example, interface software products) may be distributed without limitation.
    • Technical documentation of your system(s); this may be created, and distributed without limitation.
    • Educational materials; these may be created and published without limitation.
    • Translations of any of the above.

    Any of the above derivative works may contain excerpts of HL7 copyright material (but not whole chapters or substantial parts of any HL7specification).

    While none of the above derivative works can state or imply that they are endorsed by HL7 (unless  they have undergone an official endorsement process, such as balloting), organizational members can use the Care Connected by HL7 logo on their products and the HL7 Organizational logo (supplied by HL7 Headquarters) on their materials.

  5. I am an individual member. What types of derivative works can I create?

    Individual members can create the same types of derivative works as non-members as explained below.

  6. I'm not a member. Can I create derivative works?

    HL7 authorizes non-members to create the following derivative works:

    • Implementation guides for internal use only.  Distribution of these outside your organization is not permitted.
    • Profiles that assert conformance of a product to HL7 standards.   Such conformance profiles may be distributed without limitation.
    • Translations of HL7 material into executable code or other machine processable form which results in the creation of a new work (in the form of an adaptation) that implements the material and is not regarded as a reproduction and distribution of excerpts.  Such machine processable implementations (for example, interface software products) may be distributed without limitation.
    • Technical documentation of your system(s); this may be created, and distributed without limitation.
    • Educational materials; these may be created and published without limitation.
    • Translations of any of the above.

    Under the normal HL7 license terms these derivative works may not contain excerpts of HL7 copyright material not otherwise permitted under US copyright law, and may not carry the HL7 logo nor state or imply that they are endorsed by HL7.

  7. Who do I contact to get permission to create a derivative work not on the list above and what is the process for approving such a request?

    Requests to create or publish a derivative work should be addressed to Karenvan@HL7.org. The HL7 Executive Committee will review and make a determination on all derivative work requests that fall outside those authorized under the normal license terms, as summarized above

  8. I'm an individual, student or health professional member. Why can't I share the freely licensed standards with others?

    HL7 is the sole licensing agent for its standards. We remain the source of truth by requiring people to come to our website and obtain a license. This also enables HL7 to track who is using its standards and which standards are being used most frequently. Collection of this type of data, which drives standards developments, is not possible if we allow everyone to share the standards with whomever they like. Organizational members are allowed to share the standards internally with their employees. Learn more at http://www.hl7.org/legal/ippolicy.cfm.

  9. Why do I have to annually confirm or update my contact information?

    HL7 tracks the use of its standards. We cannot track this type of data without having current data on our licensees. Since the standards are being licensed at no cost, we do not feel that it is an unreasonable request for users to confirm or refresh their contact data annually. Information provided will not be shared with others and will be used for HL7 purposes only.

  10. What happens if I don't confirm or update my contact information?

    You will be unable to download any more standards.

  11. What will be done with the information that is collected on the license agreements?

    We will be tracking all standards that are being accessed and by which stakeholders. We hope to observe trends that will help us better understand our customers and their needs.

  12. Why can't I put your freely licensed standards on my intranet or share with my employees?

    Those wishing to share HL7 standards on their intranet or with their employees should become organizational members of HL7. While a non-member organization can accept a license for HL7 standards, each employee from that organization who wishes to use the standard must obtain a license via the HL7 website.