Circular No. 53/2017/TT-BYT stipulates the retention period for health sector files and technical documents issued by the Minister of Health.

✦ Tóm lược thông minh

This list enumerates the types of files under the management of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and their corresponding retention periods. The files are divided into ten different groups, from Healthcare Administration to Health Insurance, with retention periods ranging from 10 years to Permanent depending on the importance and impact of each type of file.

Đối tượng áp dụng

Units under the Ministry of Health and related organizations

Các điểm cốt lõi

Healthcare administration files: Retain permanently
Food safety files: Retain from 10 years to Permanent
Health insurance files: Retain permanently
All files related to policies, standards, and national criteria are retained permanently or for 50 years.
A retention period of 20 years or more is applied to files with high historical and legal value.

🌐 Tác động xã hội từ văn bản này

To preserve important information about healthcare and community health
To support effective management and monitoring of the operations of the health sector
To provide a database for research and development of health policy

❓ Câu hỏi thường gặp

What is the retention period for population-related files?

Files on population dynamics management, proposals for solutions to adjust birth rates and population growth rates nationwide are retained permanently.

Are there any files that are only retained for 10 years?

Yes, for example, files on food safety awareness campaigns and knowledge dissemination are retained for 10 years.

Toàn văn

MINISTRY OF HEALTH -------	SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM Independence - Freedom - Happiness ---------------
NUMBER: 53/2017/TT-BYT	HA NOI, December 29, 2017

CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON THE RETENTION PERIOD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS IN THE HEALTH SECTOR

On the basis of Law on Archives No. 01/2011/QH13 dated November 11, 2011;

Decree No. Decree No. 01/2013/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2013 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Archives;

Decree No. Decree No. 75/2017/NĐ-CP dated June 20, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

At the proposal of the Director of the Ministry of Health's Office;

The Minister of Health promulgates this Circular to regulate the retention period of health professional documents and records.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular regulates the retention period of health professional documents and records.

2. This Circular applies to healthcare facilities, departments, bureaus, the Office of the Ministry, the Inspectorate of the Ministry, units under the Ministry, provincial Departments of Health, central city Departments of Health, health sectors of ministries and agencies, and other related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Health professional documents and records are information carriers formed during the process of handling matters serving the professional activities of health-related work of agencies and units.

2. Health professional records are documents formed during health professional activities that share common characteristics or are related to each other concerning a specific issue, event, or subject or have common features.

Article 3. Retention Period for Records and Documents

Attached to this Circular is a table setting out the retention periods for health professional documents and records, including the following groups of records and documents:

1. Group 01. Documents on medical examination, treatment, and rehabilitation.

2. Group 02. Documents on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

3. Group 03. Documents on medical equipment.

4. Group 04. Documents on traditional medicine.

5. Group 05. Documents on preventive health care.

6. Group 06. Documents on health environment.

7. Group 07. Documents on food safety.

8. Group 08. Documents on population.

9. Group 09. Documents on maternal and child health.

10. Group 10. Documents on health insurance.

Article 4. Guidelines for Applying the Table of Retention Periods for Records and Documents

1. The table of retention periods for health professional documents and records serves as the basis for compiling the record and document inventory of units and determining the retention periods for records and documents.

2. For records and documents that have exceeded their retention period, the value determination council of the agency or unit shall examine and evaluate them for destruction according to the law on archives or extend the retention period if necessary.

Article 5. Implementation Provisions

This Circular takes effect from February 15, 2018.

Article 6. Implementation Organization

The Heads of the Office of the Ministry, the Inspectorate of the Ministry, Department Directors, General Departments under the Ministry of Health, Heads of subordinate agencies and units of the Ministry, Provincial Department of Health Heads of centrally governed cities, and Heads of health sectors of ministries and agencies are responsible for implementing this Circular.

During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies, organizations, and individuals are requested to promptly report to the Ministry of Health for consideration and resolution./.

Place of Receipt:
- Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly (for comments);
- Office of the Government (Government Gazette, Government Portal).
- Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies;
- Minister (for signature);
- Deputy Ministers of Health (for information);
- Ministry of Justice (Legal Drafting Inspection Bureau);
- Ministry of Home Affairs (National Public Records and Archives Bureau);
- Provincial and municipal People's Committees directly under the central government;
- Health Departments of provinces and centrally governed cities
- Health sectors of ministries and agencies;
- To be filed: VT, VPB, PC.

DEPUTY MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER

NGUYEN VIET TIEN

TABLE OF RETENTION PERIODS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS

(Attached to Circular No. 53/2017/TT-BYT dated December 29, 2017 of the Ministry of Health)

No.	Name of file and record group	Retention Period
I	Group 01. Documents on medical examination, treatment, and rehabilitation
1	Records for supervising and guiding professional work at hospitals within the sector	Permanent
2	Records for monitoring health centers	Permanent
3	Records for assessing and approving new medical techniques and methods first implemented in Vietnam according to the law	Permanent
4	Records for developing surgical and procedural classification lists	Permanent
5	Records for developing hospital technical procedures	Permanent
6	Records for directing and managing the safe, rational, and effective use of medicines during treatment	Permanent
7	Records for planning and organizing national reserves of medicines, chemicals, medical equipment, epidemic prevention and disaster relief supplies according to the national reserve list decided by the Government and according to relevant laws	50 years
8	Records for developing treatment protocols for non-communicable diseases, guiding and supervising the organization of treatment of non-communicable diseases in healthcare facilities and participating in communication and counseling on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases	50 years
9	Records for monitoring foreign investment in medical examination and treatment	50 years
10	Records for directing, guiding, and supervising the rational, safe, and effective use of medicines in medical examination and treatment, prescription practices, and drug use, and antimicrobial resistance control	30 years
11	Records for directing, guiding, and supervising clinical pharmacy practice, providing advice and information on drug use and pharmacovigilance in healthcare facilities	30 years
12	Records for directing healthcare facilities to implement health protection and care for mid-to-senior level officials, and health services for important state meetings and events	30 years
13	Records for issuing, reissuing, revoking practice certificates for medical examination and treatment, and issuing, reissuing, amending, and revoking licenses for healthcare facilities according to the law	20 years
14	Records for reviewing the professional content of registration documents for advertising medical examination and treatment activities	20 years
15	Records for coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to manage service prices for medical examination and treatment according to the law	20 years
16	Records for coordinating with relevant agencies to prevent, rescue, and treat victims in natural disasters and catastrophes	20 years
17	Records for receiving patient samples	20 years
18	Hospital quality management records	20 years
19	Books, distribution of materials, drug issuance and receipt forms	20 years
20	Medical records for: - Deceased patients; - Psychiatric patients; - Work-related accidents and household accidents; - Inpatient and outpatient general cases.	30 years 20 years 15 years 10 years
21	Records for implementing tobacco harm reduction activities	20 years
22	Patient satisfaction survey forms, staff satisfaction survey forms	5 years
23	Records for forensic and forensic psychiatric conclusions	Permanent
24	Medical examination and appraisal records	70 years
25	Records for directing, coordinating, and implementing international cooperation projects in medical examination and treatment, forensic medicine, and forensic psychiatry	20 years
26	File to establish quality criteria for drugs in the national drug reserve list	Permanent
27	Report on the implementation evaluation of strategic projects and planning development projects for the pharmaceutical industry	Permanent
28	File for building and managing databases on pharmaceutical and cosmetic work	Permanent
29	File guiding the implementation of regulations on clinical drug testing	Permanent
30	File guiding the implementation of regulations on pharmaceutical business operations and pharmacy practice	Permanent
31	File establishing essential drug lists, over-the-counter drug lists, and drug lists covered by health insurance	Permanent
32	File directing and implementing quality standards and types, raw materials, and drug quality criteria	Permanent
33	File monitoring and detecting abnormal errors related to drugs	70 years
34	File organizing drug information activities and pharmacovigilance	70 years
35	File supplying, storing, distributing, and using drugs	70 years
36	File issuing new and renewing pharmacy practice certificates	50 years
37	File producing and compounding drugs within healthcare facilities	50 years
38	File conducting clinical drug trials and bioequivalence testing of drugs	50 years
39	File processing safety warnings about drugs and cosmetics	50 years
40	File reviewing and registering drug and cosmetic numbers	30 years
41	File testing drugs and cosmetics; raw materials for drugs, direct contact packaging	20 years
42	File issuing, revoking Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Storage Practice (GSP), and Good Packaging Practice (GPP) certification	20 years
43	File directing and implementing management of traditional medicine production, quality control, storage, circulation, distribution, and import-export	20 years
44	File directing and implementing tasks: - Ensuring drug supply to hospitals; - Managing drug prices and quality supplied to hospitals, including hospital pharmacies and compounding drugs from prescriptions; - Guiding the implementation of Good Storage Practice (GSP) principles and standards; - Compiling comprehensive data related to drug supply	20 years 20 years 20 years 20 years
45	File tendering drugs for hospitals and projects under the Ministry of Health	20 years
46	File directing, guiding, and implementing drug and cosmetic information and advertising management nationwide	20 years
47	File reviewing the professional content of drug and cosmetic registration and advertising files	20 years
48	File registering initial, renewed, and changed components of drugs...	20 years
49	File registering the transfer of domestic and foreign drug production rights	20 years
50	File issuing new and renewing free circulation certificates for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products...	20 years
51	File suspending circulation, recalling, and destroying substandard drugs and cosmetics according to the law	20 years
52	File issuing import and export permits, approving budgets for raw materials, psychotropic drugs, precursors, and finished drug combinations containing addictive substances, psychotropic substances, and precursors	20 years
53	File issuing import permits for drugs, vaccines, and medical supplies	10 years
III	Group 03. Documents on medical equipment
54	File establishing national technical standards for medical equipment; issuing professional regulations and national technical standards for medical equipment	Permanent
55	File issuing essential equipment lists for units and healthcare facilities	Permanent
56	File coordinating with relevant agencies to develop and issue technical standards and design standards for medical construction projects	Permanent
57	File monitoring medical waste projects	Permanent
58	File issuing, suspending, and revoking registration certificates for domestically produced medical equipment and import permits for medical equipment	20 years
59	File reviewing the professional content of medical equipment advertising registrations according to the law	10 years
IV	Group 04. Documents on traditional medicine and pharmacy
60	File monitoring the application of traditional medicine in community health care	Permanent
61	File managing and supervising the operation of traditional medicine facilities	50 years
62	File supplying, preparing, and using traditional medicine in healthcare facilities	20 years
63	File cultivating, harvesting, extracting, and processing medicinal herbs	70 years
64	File storing and maintaining the quality of medicinal herbs	70 years
65	File registering, circulating, and recalling traditional medicines	20 years
66	File clinical trial of traditional medicine before circulation	20 years
67	File issuing, renewing, adjusting, and revoking certificates for traditional medicine practitioners and certificates for hereditary prescriptions	20 years
68	File issuing operating licenses for traditional medicine healthcare facilities according to the law	20 years
69	File reviewing the professional content of advertising registrations for traditional medicine healthcare services	10 years
V	Group 05. Health prevention documents
70	File establishing professional regulations, standards, and national technical standards for surveillance, prevention, and control of infectious and non-infectious diseases	Permanent
71	File establishing professional regulations, standards, and national technical standards for occupational diseases, accidents, and border health quarantine	Permanent
72	File establishing lists of infectious diseases by groups and mandatory vaccine and medical product use lists for infectious diseases	Permanent
73	File on monitoring infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, diseases of unknown cause, and early detection of infectious diseases causing epidemics	Permanent
74	File establishing lists of occupational diseases eligible for occupational disease benefits in Vietnam	Permanent
75	File coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to issue lists of chronic diseases eligible for sick leave benefits	50 years
76	File implementing border health quarantine activities at checkpoints; promptly reporting dangerous infectious disease situations	30 years
77	File on reviewing reports on health impact assessments for industrial zones, urban areas, concentrated residential areas, and infectious disease treatment facilities	30 years
78	File on implementing activities to prevent and reduce the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption	20 years
79	File for issuing certificates of professional qualifications in occupational health, first aid training at workplaces as prescribed by law	20 years
80	File on issuing, suspending, revoking, and reissuing certificates of acceptance for tobacco products	20 years
81	File directing, guiding, inspecting, auditing, and supervising the implementation of professional regulations and national technical standards for preventive healthcare nationwide	20 years
82	File分级处理发放、暂停和吊销疫苗和医疗用品使用资格证书以及实验室生物安全标准认证的文件	20 years
83	文件处理化学品、灭虫剂和用于家庭及医疗领域的杀菌剂的注册、审查专业内容的广告文件	20 years
84	File on leading and coordinating with relevant agencies to provide accurate and timely information on infectious diseases	20 years
85	文件检查、监督并支持各单位和地方组织实施防疫措施	20 years
86	File on guiding the implementation of primary health care activities for the community	20 years
87	File on organizing the declaration of epidemics and the end of epidemics according to the law	10 years
88	文件组织实施对法律规定必须接种疫苗和医疗产品的对象进行接种	50 years
89	Documents for establishing, supplementing, and amending technical zoning regulations, specialized provisions, and national technical standards concerning HIV/AIDS prevention and control	Permanent
90	Documents on managing and directing specialized activities of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control network nationwide	Permanent
91	Treatment and care documents for people living with HIV/AIDS	70 years
92	Intervention documents to reduce harm and prevent HIV transmission	50 years
93	文件关于艾滋病毒检测的咨询和管理	50 years
94	Surveillance documents for HIV/AIDS/STI, monitoring, and evaluating HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs	50 years
95	Prevention documents regarding: - Occupational HIV exposure due to workplace accidents; - Mother-to-child HIV transmission; - HIV infection through healthcare services	50 years 50 years 50 years
96	Research, training, and professional development documents related to HIV/AIDS prevention and control	50 years
97	Documents on preventing co-infection of Tuberculosis/HIV	50 years
98	Documents on blood safety related to HIV/AIDS	50 years
99	Documents on directing, coordinating, and implementing international cooperation projects in HIV/AIDS prevention and control	30 years
100	Documents on preventing sexually transmitted diseases	50 years
101	文件关于使用药物替代治疗阿片类物质成瘾的治疗	50 years
102	文件关于多部门合作预防和控制艾滋病	20 years
103	Inspection and audit documents, proposing measures to handle violations in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and control	20 years
104	Rehabilitation and management documents for drug rehabilitation centers and community-based post-rehabilitation facilities	20 years
VI	Group 06. Health Environment Documents
105	Documents for jointly issuing regulations, standards, and national technical standards on environmental protection in health activities	Permanent
106	Documents for jointly issuing regulations and standards on environmental protection in funeral, cremation activities, and health environment quality	Permanent
107	Documents for strategic environmental assessment reports and environmental impact assessment reports for projects within the Ministry of Health's approval authority	Permanent
108	Implementation documents for monitoring environmental impacts from health sector activities	Permanent
109	Implementation documents for measures to protect human health from climate change, environmental pollution, and adverse environmental factors	Permanent
110	Implementation and inspection documents for compliance with regulatory legal instruments, national technical standards on medical waste management and environmental protection in health activities	Permanent
111	Implementation documents for addressing environmental pollution and restoring health environments	Permanent
112	Documents for collecting, storing, and providing information related to environmental issues under the scope of management	20 years
Vll	Group 07. Food Safety Documents
113	Documents for building food safety databases; compiling, statistically summarizing, and reporting on food safety management based on supervision and reports from relevant ministries	Permanent
114	Surveillance, prevention, investigation, and coordination to prevent and address food poisoning incidents and food safety emergencies: - Serious cases - Other incidents	Permanent 20 years
115	File for the Food Standards Committee (Codex Committee) of Vietnam’s permanent food safety activities	30 years
116	Documents for issuing general conditions ensuring food safety for food production, business establishments, food containers, and packaging materials that come into direct contact with food	30 years
117	Documents for issuing general conditions ensuring food safety for collective kitchens, hotels, restaurants, street food vendors, etc.	30 years
118	Management documents for the production, processing, transportation, import/export, and business operations of: - Functional foods - Nutrient-enriched foods - Food additives, drinking water	30 years 30 years 30 years
119	Inspection, guidance, and supervision documents for the implementation of food safety laws	Permanent
120	Documents for issuing certificates of registration for rapid testing kits for food safety indicators	20 years
121	Documents for accepting declarations of conformity and confirming compliance with food safety regulations for processed packaged foods, food additives, food processing aids, and food packaging materials	20 years
122	Documents for suspending and recalling certificates of declaration of conformity and confirmation of compliance with food safety regulations for processed packaged foods, food additives, food processing aids, and food packaging materials	20 years
123	Documents for issuing and revoking food safety certification for food production and business establishments within the unit's management scope	20 years
124	Documents for issuing advertising content certificates for food additives, food processing aids, utensils, and packaging materials	20 years
125	Documents on food safety awareness-raising and knowledge dissemination activities	10 years
VIII	Group 08. Population-related materials
126	Population dynamics management documents, proposing solutions to adjust birth rates and population growth rates nationwide	Permanent
127	Documents for establishing, guiding inspections, and implementing demographic quality, gender, and age structure indicators	Permanent
128	Documents for organizing surveys, data collection, analysis on demographics	Permanent
129	Documents for directing, guiding, implementing, and supervising the execution of legal regulatory instruments, national technical standards, policies, programs, and projects in the demographic field	Permanent
130	Documents for assessing economic and social development programs, plans, and projects related to population policy	Permanent
131	Documents for developing and submitting to competent authorities for issuance of population policies including: Population size, structure, and quality	Permanent
132	Documents for professional activity procedures, indicators, distribution quotas, usage standards for family planning methods	50 years
133	Documents for establishing and proposing quality standards, storage, distribution channels, free distribution, social marketing, and management of family planning methods	50 years
134	Documents for designing and producing educational communication materials on population issues	20 years
135	Implementation documents for providing population-related services	20 years
IX	Group 09. Maternal and Child Health Documents
136	Documents for establishing and issuing reproductive health performance indicators	Permanent
137	Specialized provisions and national technical standards for reproductive health services	Permanent
138	Documents for developing guidelines, policies, strategies, and plans for reproductive health work	Permanent
139	Documents for planning and implementing technical tasks in reproductive health	Permanent
140	Directing, guiding, and inspecting professional technical activities in reproductive health services at healthcare facilities	Permanent
141	File for permitting healthcare facilities to re-determine gender, recognizing healthcare facilities meeting the conditions to perform assisted reproductive technology (in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination) as prescribed by law	Permanent
142	File for developing plans and organizing continuous training for staff involved in specialized technical work in the field of reproductive health care	20 years
143	File for implementing information, communication, and education activities related to reproductive health care	20 years
144	File for adolescent and youth reproductive health care	20 years
145	File for managing and organizing the implementation of domestic and international projects, programs on reproductive health care	20 years
146	File for managing organizations conducting reproductive health services	20 years
147	File for women's health care, maternal health care, newborn and child health care	20 years
148	File for maternal and child nutrition work	20 years
149	File for male reproductive health care and elderly health care	20 years
150	File for managing services: safe abortion, prevention and control of reproductive tract infections and cancers, infertility treatment	20 years
X	Group 10. Health Insurance Documents
151	File for issuing lists of drugs, medical supplies, and technical service items within the scope of benefits for health insurance participants	Permanent
152	File for establishing the healthcare system, specialized technical medical lines, financial resources to serve the protection, care, and improvement of people's health based on universal health insurance	Permanent
153	File for developing solutions to be submitted to competent authorities for issuance to ensure balance of the Health Insurance Fund	Permanent
154	File for directing, guiding the organization and implementation, inspecting healthcare facilities, organizations, and individuals in the execution of laws on health insurance	Permanent
155	File for reporting and statistics on health insurance work	Permanent
156	File for directing, guiding the organization and implementation of health insurance benefits	Permanent