Ever since Apple claimed primacy over the smartphone universe, we’ve all become familiar with that refrain. And as noted in a recent report on NPR, mobile medical applications are hot property. Even the stodgy American Medical Association (AMA) has introduced an iPhone app that keeps track of your medications. It’s all good. Or is it?

We’ve discussed the benefits of electronic medical records. But when it comes to apps, as convenient as such medical assistants might be, there is reason to be concerned about breaches of privacy. That might not induce worry if your techno assistant is helping you adhere to a healthful diet, but some monitor blood sugar, blood pressure and screen for depression. Are you comfortable with strangers having that information?

Medical apps aren't covered by HIPAA, the federal privacy law that controls how doctors and health-care providers store and share patient health information. "They are offering to store and share some pretty sensitive information," Deven McGraw, director of the health privacy project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, told NPR.