Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of October 2, 2026
Who holds the health record in Sweden?
In 2026, Sweden scores 67 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record. It is one of five countries that lead the 198 countries and territories we rated, in the Strong band (65 to 84). Who holds the keys: you and the health system. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 2, 2026.
The person has real controls inside a government or provider system. Its strongest right, compared with the typical country, is control over who sees it (72 out of 100, against 30 for the typical country). No right falls below the typical country; the closest to it is your say over research use (49 out of 100, against 46 for the typical country).
Swedes read nearly all their record in 1177 and must consent before another provider looks, but registers have no opt-out and consent may soon go.
Published · updated · this country's data as of October 2, 2026 · research tool, not legal advice
overall score · Strong band, 65 to 84
67/100
rank among 198 countries and territories; likely 1st to 17th, allowing for scoring error
In 2026, getting your full record scores 77 out of 100 in Sweden; the typical country scores 40 to 45. Every region shows records in 1177, and the Commission found all 13 data types it checks available in all 21 regions, with images only on request. About 8 million people have logged in, but 1177 offers reading and paper copies, not a download. Source: Sveriges riksdag, and the other sources below.
Who controls health records in Sweden?
In 2026, you and the health system hold the keys to your health record in Sweden. Control over who sees it scores 72 out of 100 in Sweden; the typical country scores 30. Another provider may read shared records only with the patient's consent, patients can object and have data blocked at once, and some regions show the access log in 1177. A June 2026 proposal would drop the consent rule from July 2027; it is not yet law. Source: Sveriges riksdag, and the other sources below.
How does Sweden compare?
In 2026, Sweden scores 67 out of 100, against 39 for the typical country. This brief compares it with Estonia (68 out of 100), France (66 out of 100) and Hungary (68 out of 100). Source: the ranking of all 198 countries and territories.
Eight rights, compared with Estonia, France, Hungary, the typical EU country and the typical country
Scores out of 100, by right
Getting your full record20%
77
80 · 70 · 72
Control over who sees it20%
72
68 · 68 · 72
Privacy and security15%
64
55 · 58 · 62
One record across your care15%
66
80 · 72 · 78
Protection from sale and ads10%
60
58 · 66 · 55
Doctors see it when treating you10%
64
75 · 62 · 76
Your say over research use5%
49
50 · 60 · 47
Rules for AI in your care5%
50
50 · 54 · 54
Black dot: Sweden. Hollow dots: Estonia, France, Hungary (scores out of 100 on the right, same order). Gray line: the typical country of all 198. Dashed teal line: the typical EU country. Overall: Sweden 67 out of 100, the typical EU country 61. Scores move in steps of about 5 points, so read a rank with its likely range.
What would Sweden need to change to score higher?
Sweden sits in Strong (65 to 84); Leading starts at 85. Every right is at or above the typical country. The two with the most room to grow, weighted by how much each counts, are control over who sees it (72 out of 100, against 30 for the typical country) and privacy and security (64 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country). Our scoring rules give more points for:
Control over who sees it: A way to say no to sharing (or to be asked first), a log you can read of who opened your record, and finer choices about who sees what. Together these put this right at 60 to 80 out of 100.
Privacy and security: A health data regulator that is independent and actually acts: it decides cases about health records, breaches must be reported, and fines are applied.
Which laws give health record rights in Sweden?
Patient Data Act (Patientdatalag 2008:355): Record duties, closed purpose list, blocks within a provider, access logs, quality register opt-out.
Act on coordinated care and social care documentation (2022:913): Sharing between providers: patient may object; reading another provider's data needs consent.
Data Protection Act (2018:218): Supplements GDPR; lets IMY fine public authorities up to SEK 10 million.
Doctors, waits and private care context, not part of the score
Doctors per 10,000
44.7 2022 · 11th highest of 38 OECD countries
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
117 2022 · 13th highest of 38 OECD countries
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
13.6% 2023 · 32nd highest of 35 OECD countries
Record reaches private care?
partly
"about 10% of private providers, those outside public contracts, often do not share."
Real cases
November 26, 2024 · SVT Nyheter Region reports new record system to regulator after patient notes went missing
February 12, 2025 · Läkartidningen Patient identity numbers, some linked to diagnosis codes, offered for sale after hack
In 2026, Sweden scored 67 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record, one of five countries that lead the 198 countries and territories we rated, in the Strong band. Who holds the keys: you and the health system. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 2, 2026, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/sweden/
The 21 sources for Sweden
Each source appears once, under the first right it supports. Titles are shown as our research agents recorded them, usually in the page's own language; text in square brackets is our machine translation. Links were checked on the date shown.
Getting your full record (4 sources)
“Patientdatalag (2008:355)” [Patient Data Act (2008:355)] our machine translation
Sveriges riksdag [Swedish Parliament] (law or regulation) · Title in Swedish
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Protection from sale and ads; Your say over research use
“Ett första steg i genomförandet av en nationell digital infrastruktur på hälsodataområdet, S2026/01360” [A first step in implementing a national digital infrastructure in the health data area, S2026/01360] our machine translation
Regeringen [Government of Sweden] (government guidance) · Title in Swedish
Dated June 18, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Control over who sees it; One record across your care; Doctors see it when treating you
“Lag (2018:218) med kompletterande bestämmelser till EU:s dataskyddsförordning” [Act (2018:218) with supplementary provisions to the EU General Data Protection Regulation] our machine translation
Sveriges riksdag [Swedish Parliament] (law or regulation) · Title in Swedish
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Regioner och sjukhus slipper att betala miljoner i sanktionsavgifter” [Regions and hospitals avoid paying millions in administrative fines] our machine translation
Läkartidningen (news) · Title in Swedish
Dated May 17, 2022 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Sanktionsavgifter mot Apoteket och Apohem för överföring av personuppgifter till Meta” [Administrative fines against Apoteket and Apohem for transferring personal data to Meta] our machine translation
IMY (regulator) · Title in Swedish
Dated August 30, 2024 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads
“Dom: Sjukhus tvingas lämna ut uppgifter om papperslös” [Ruling: Hospital forced to disclose information about undocumented person] our machine translation
Dagens Samhälle (news) · Title in Swedish
Dated July 10, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Lag (2003:460) om etikprövning av forskning som avser människor” [Act (2003:460) on ethical review of research involving humans] our machine translation
Sveriges riksdag [Swedish Parliament] (law or regulation) · Title in Swedish
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Ny version av Läkemedelsverkets AI-vägledning till sjukvården” [New version of the Swedish Medical Products Agency's AI guidance for healthcare] our machine translation
Läkemedelsverket, via TT [Swedish Medical Products Agency, via TT] (regulator) · Title in Swedish
Dated April 8, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Granskning av Region Gävleborgs användning av AI-transkribering i primärvården” [Audit of Region Gävleborg's use of AI transcription in primary care] our machine translation
IMY (regulator) · Title in Swedish
Dated May 7, 2026 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (opened)
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Something wrong? Tell us · Questions or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI™: the Data Trust Index, which grades the evidence behind each score. SuperTruth makes it and publishes this index. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/sweden/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Our scores and our own words are CC BY 4.0; quoted law and source titles stay with their owners.
