FHIR Release 3 (STU)

This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v3.0.2: STU 3). The current version which supercedes this version is 5.0.0. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions . Page versions: R5 R4B R4 R3 R2

2.17 License and Legal Terms

FHIR Infrastructure Work GroupMaturity Level: N/ABallot Status: Informative

2.17.1 Disclaimer and Warning of Use

FHIR Resource definitions developed by HL7 are derived from the considerable collective experience of the HL7 membership and wide community feedback from the development and application of a spectrum of health care interoperability solutions. However, Resource definitions are generalized to support multiple contexts of use. It is the responsibility of the persons or organizations using these Resources to ensure their use is fit for the particular purpose in which they are used, including validation for clinical and operational use.

See also the specific warnings associated with use of the STU.

2.17.2 FHIR License

Copyright © 2011+ HL7.

This specification (specifically the set of materials included in the fhir-spec.zip file available from the Downloads page of this specification) is produced by HL7 under the terms of HL7® Governance and Operations Manual relating to Intellectual Property (Section 16), specifically its copyright, trademark and patent provisions.

This document is licensed under Creative Commons "No Rights Reserved" (CC0 ).

HL7®, HEALTH LEVEL SEVEN®, FHIR® and the FHIR ® are trademarks owned by Health Level Seven International, registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

2.17.2.1 Additional information about the license

  • FHIR is © and ® HL7. The right to maintain FHIR remains vested in HL7
  • You can redistribute FHIR
  • You can create derivative specifications or implementation-related products and services
  • You can't claim that HL7 or any of its members endorses your derived [thing] because it uses content from this specification
  • Neither HL7 nor any of the contributors to this specification accept any liability for your use of FHIR
  • You cannot publish an altered version of the FHIR specification unless it clearly identifies that it is a derivative specification, not FHIR itself
  • Derivative Specifications cannot redefine what conformance to FHIR means
  • HL7 is not responsible for either identifying patents for which a license may be required to implement FHIR® or for conducting inquiries into the legal validity or scope of those patents that are brought to its attention (section 16.03.04, Governance and Operations Manual )"

While HL7 places no restrictions on the right to copy the FHIR specification or to create derivative works per the Creative Commons license, HL7 protects the "FHIR" trademark carefully. This means that:

  • You can use the trademarks "FHIR" and the logo to refer the FHIR specification itself (nominatively, or under the terms of fair use
  • When referencing the FHIR® standard in a web site, document, presentation, or otherwise, please in a place of prominence refer to it as the "HL7® FHIR® standard". In subsequent uses, please refer to it as the "FHIR® standard" or "FHIR®", using the ® symbol as often as is practical, at least once on each page of printed matter, generally in connection with the first or dominant usage.
  • When using the logo, always include the ® symbol
  • All non-trademark uses of the foregoing marks should include the ® symbol and indicate in text that:
    "HL7, FHIR and the FHIR [FLAME DESIGN] are the registered trademarks of Health Level Seven International and their use does not constitute endorsement by HL7."
  • Use of Health Level Seven International trademarks in URL domains or to brand your product or service without the express written consent of Health Level Seven International is strictly prohibited. See application forms for consetn to use the trademark "FHIR" in an event name or a product name (including domain names)

Trademark FAQs are posted on the HL7 International website . Questions? Please contact HL7trademarks@HL7.org for more information.

2.17.3 Third-party artifacts and terminologies

The HL7 FHIR specification contains and references intellectual property owned by third parties ("Third Party IP"). Acceptance of these License Terms does not grant any rights with respect to Third Party IP. The licensee alone is responsible for identifying and obtaining any necessary licenses or authorizations to utilize Third Party IP in connection with the specification or otherwise.

Following is a non-exhaustive list of third-party artifacts and terminologies that may require a separate license:

American Medical Association (AMA )
CPT copyright 2014 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Artifact/TerminologyStatement/Owner/Contact
SNOMED CTInternational Healthcare Terminology Standards Developing Organization (IHTSDO ).
This specification includes content from SNOMED CT, which is copyright © 2002+ International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO), and distributed by agreement between IHTSDO and HL7. Implementer use of SNOMED CT is not covered by this agreement
DICOMNational Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA ).
This specification includes content from DICOM, which is copyright NEMA, and distributed by agreement between NEMA/DICOM and HL7. Implementer use of DICOM is not covered by this agreement
Logical Observation Identifiers Names & Codes (LOINC)This material contains content from LOINC® (http://loinc.org ). The LOINC table, LOINC codes, and LOINC panels and forms file are copyright © 1995-2014, Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) Committee and available at no cost under the license at http://loinc.org/terms-of-use .
International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codesConsult the World Health Organization (WHO )
Current Procedures Terminology (CPT) code set