There was actually no permission at all from the patient. The story as it is being presented:
1. The Dr blabbed to the press about the hair drug
2. Someone from the WH called and said you're fired
3. The WH Dr. Jackson wrote and said he was taking over the care of the patient. No consent form was provided. This Dr apparently was a drunk and a pill pusher, even so he should have known better about a records release ( in the military they are not needed often, perhaps he didn't know. Or was high)
4. The WH goons showed up and stole the original records. The original records belong to the Dr and the clinic. The pt is entitled to copies with a signed consent. (I checked with our old office, our form was printed name, signed name dated and witnessed by a third person who also signed). I diont think they took the ptcure they asked hime to take it off the wall
5. Now-get this- the drunken WH Dr claimed in his press conference that he didn't have access to the previous medical records. They may have been lost, or even worse, destroyed

at no time during this was there any indication at all from the patient to the Dr that he wanted the old records

There are reasons they have these privacy laws