A new study reveals that private entities in Canada are accessing and selling patient medical records, often without consent, to pharmaceutical companies. Researchers at Women's College Hospital contacted 19 participants to analyze the medical record industry and found that private clinics and data brokers collaborate to monetize patient data. The study highlights two models: one that anonymizes data before selling it, and another where clinics belong to the data-collecting company, providing direct access to personal information. These practices may undermine patient care, prompting a call for better oversight and updated privacy laws.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, examined how the medical record industry works in Canada and how patient data flows between different private entities.
We need oversight. What we know from other surveys and interviews with patients is that this is not how they want their data handled.
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