The Google AI department otherwise known as DeepMined, the Google-owned AI research company, is getting a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit focuses on the company's use of personal records of a whopping 1.6 million patients from the UK's National Service including confidential medical records.
NHS Foundation Trust Health Data
DeepMind's use of personal records of a massive number of UK National Health Service patients has landed them a lawsuit. The health data was reportedly provided by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in 2015 as per ArtificialIntelligence-News.
According to PCGamer, DeepMind was given the records in order to create a health app that the company calls Streams. This was actually supposed to be an AI-powered assistant to help healthcare professionals and has already been used by the UK NHS but not currently.
DeepMind Health Sector
In August 2021, it was announced that Streams is now being decommissioned. DeepMind's very own "health" sector is now returning a server error, as per DeepMind. The handing-over of these patient records to one of the world's largest tech companies was actually exposed back in 2017 by New Scientist.
In a certain report showing that particular DeepMind had access towards more data that had actually been publicly announced. The UK Information Commission officially launched an investigation in order to rule that the Royal Free hospital had not really done enough to protect its patient's privacy. DeepMind then apologized. Apple's Health team is now dealing with internal issues which are hindering projects from being officially released.
Investigation on Shortcomings of Shared Patient Records
Elizabeth Denham, the Information Commissioner, noted during the time that their investigation actually found a number of other shortcomings in the way that patient records were shared for the particular trial. Patients would also note have reasonably expected the particular information to have been used in this particular way.
The new suit has reportedly been launched by Andrew Prismall, the lead plaintiff, who was a patient at the Royal Free hospital. This includes an approximate of 1.6 million other affected patients on a certain opt-out basis. It was noted that all parties will be included in the particular action unless they would request otherwise.
Read Also: Google Chromebook Brings Accessibility Feature to People with Dyslexia with 'Select-to-Speak'
Tech Giant Gets Confidential Medical Records
Prismall gave a statement noting that given the whole positive experience of the NHS that he always had during his various treatments, he was greatly concerned in order to find that a certain tech giant got his confidential medical records. It was noted that as a patient having any particular sort of medical treatment, the very last thing one would expect is their private medical records land in the hands of the world's largest tech companies.
He notes that he hopes that the case will then help achieve a much better outcome and closure for all of the patients whose very own confidential records were actually obtained in that instance even without their knowledge or their consent. 18 former NBA players were just charged with attempted wire fraud over an alleged health care scam.
Related Article: Best Buy Current Health Acquisition: Home as the Center of Healthcare, Remote Solutions Soon?
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
