Under the rules, doctors and other health care providers would still have to notify patients of their rights and the providers' disclosure policies.

Since the problem came to light, Jacobi has changed the way it notifies patients, Dr. Dunn said.

But doctors have at least 15 months to file claims and there is no requirement that the doctors notify patients when the claim is submitted.

The Administration proposal would not require law-enforcement agencies to get court orders or to notify patients when they seek medical records.

Participating hospitals will now be required to notify patients in the trials of fraud and to arrange for appropriate follow-up evaluation.

Pfizer said that the government had never given it the data from its study, making it hard to notify patients and doctors.

Other times, the agency had asked companies to notify patients and doctors voluntarily.

It said that it would also directly notify patients about product problems.

University officials said they did not know of the thefts but were trying to notify patients who might have been affected by illicit egg transfers.