Google patient data deal raises privacy concerns
NEW YORK
Google has gained access to a vast archive of U.S. patient data thanks to a deal with a major health firm that raises concerns about privacy, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The scheme, Project Nightingale, was agreed to with Ascension, which runs 2,600 hospitals across the U.S. It gives Google access to health records, names and addresses without the need to inform patients.
In a statement posted online, Google said the deal was “standard practice” in the health care sector, “adheres to industry-wide regulations” on patient data and involves “strict guidance on data privacy, security and usage.”