Forum Moderators: goodroi
It offers users a safe and secure way to collect, store, and manage their medical records and health information online...In this day and age of information, isn't it crazy that you don't have a copy of your medical records under your control?
Google Blog [googleblog.blogspot.com]
Of course, the privacy and security implications of such a service are likely of huge concern to anyone considering registering.
[google.com...]
[edited by: Receptional_Andy at 8:33 pm (utc) on May 19, 2008]
[edited by: engine at 10:27 am (utc) on May 20, 2008]
[edit reason] added link [/edit]
Apparently right down to your DNA eventually.
We will be assimilated, all of us, at some point in the future. The Gorg continues to orbit Earth and with each rotation, it grows exponentially. I can see it now, the next generation will be referred to as The Google Baby Generation, they'll be connected and will have joined a Social Network long before they've seen the light of day.
The business model here is simple: completely private, encrypted but online stored health information, provided to users for a small fee (19.99$ a year?)
No it isn't. It's too boring, too small of a pocket change. Do you know how much a single serious analytical report is going for these days? 6 to 7 digits. THAT IS REAL MONEY, MY FELLAS, not some pity little "do good" hippy talk, or small pocket change consumer stuff.
Your and mine personal health data will be crunched, sliced, organized and sold to big Pharma for serious money.
Do no evil my arse.
Welcome to 23andMe, a web-based service that helps you read and understand your DNA. After providing a saliva sample using an at-home kit, you can use our interactive tools to shed new light on your distant ancestors, your close family and most of all, yourself.
Whoops - thought crime. Room 101 for me.
This is a simple case of "if I don't use it, it can't hurt me", so why all the antagonistic rhetoric?
If only that were the case, Bill.
Unfortunately, you can not "opt out" of the health care system. In the end, all users of the system will pay.
As a good capitalist you should know that nothing comes free. This will add incremental costs of billions of dollars, all of which will be absorbed by average consumers.
Not to mention how the acturarials working for HMO's will use this "statistical information and analysis" to reject, terminate or increase rates on health care policies for wide swaths of ordinary people.
We can dis government systems, but at least there we don't have a clear profit motive driving up incremental costs for the individual consumer.
This is a simple case of "if I don't use it, it can't hurt me"
Bill, no. You go to pharmacies, right? To doctors too. Your family does. Google already bought this data, whether you opted in on the website or not.
And will be getting updates, so every time you take a sneeze it will be on G$$gle's harddrives.
When you walk in for a Prescription at your favorite RX Store, are you fully aware of their documentation procedures and do you feel confident that your information is secure? Really, do you? I don't. I know how people handle paper and it is far from being secure. There are dumpster diving maniacs all over the place. You'd be surprised at the amount of information that can be had after a few hours of diving.
No, if and when the time comes and I need to do something like this, I think I'll be choosing Google Health. Actually, I may not have a choice. I'd be willing to bet that my providers are going to be using this to some extent and probably without my knowledge. They'll be using a branded version of Google Health. ;)
if and when the time comes and I need to do something like this, I think I'll be choosing Google Health. Actually, I may not have a choice
Exactly.
Google is not the one owning pharmacy and doctor's health data now. There are other companies out there who do. How many? Don't know, maybe 10. Maybe government agency too (I bet there's at least one).
The problem though is that none of these other companies have the capabilities to match this data to other large datasets, such as my internet habits. This is a giant leap forward in data analysis, and Google for one has capabilities to do that. The goals - better ad targeting, and better drug targeting. Not "organize the world's information".
Now, the next logical step from here for Google is to purchase credit card transaction information. THAT WOULD BE A FREAKIN' 1984. Because then Google will know everything about you - color of your socks, what you take with your coffee, brand of your sereal, what did you purchase from website site.com, if you own or rent, how much you spend on hardware, when is your wife's period...should I go on?
And Google already started collecting this data, with Google Checkout.
Anyone who wants any privacy at that point would have to at least shred credit cards and start using cache everywhere.
It's always been a dream of mine to have a single, uncompromisable system which houses all the data you could ever need. My biggest problem with this idea was that I could never trust my government enough.
Personally, I trust Google. I see all the things that people complain about on these forums as Google moving forward with its own ideals: making the Internet easier to use for your purposes. Under Sergey Brin, the whole organization seems to have a passion for improving their search methods. Recent activity in Adwords and Adsense has helped to filter out a lot of the extraneous garbage ads that I have no care for.
My fear with all this information is: What happens when the people who have the passion are no more in that company? It will happen, almost undoubtedly; any organization, government, corporation, or whatever you want, can and will eventually be taken over by people who's greater purpose is themselves. What happens with all that data when that happens?
No fears, though. The world is ending on December 21st, 2012, and I don't think Google will go corrupt in five years.
Google already bought this data, whether you opted in on the website or not.
Where is the proof?
I don't mind if you don't trust Google, but please prove they bought this data if you're going to make such wild claims.
Per Google's website they import/exchange data with permission only.
When you link a website to your profile, you may authorize that website to read your Google Health profile or to automatically send and update information in your profile (such as medical records or prescription histories). You decide which permissions to grant when you sign up with each website.
So why aren't the US Federal government running a system like this for the American's rather than a SE that really is rather contradictory in its own ideologies about what its going to do with individuals personal information.
Per Google's website...
IncrediBill, I know Google reps have been knocking onto doors that sell such data. Let's just say my source is a little better than "a friend of a friend". I don't have pictures, or proof that they did purchase it. But the mere fact that they tried indicates that they don't practice what they preach.
you can believe me or not, it is your personal choice :)
Also, what you've just quoted has nothing to do with the data Google allegedly purchased. I'll translate - it just says that the information you provided on Google Health will be covered by this privacy policy. It doesn't mean a thing for information that Google gets anywhere else.
If Google is buying data that has personally identifiable information in violation of HIPAA regulations they could get in a world of trouble as well as the company selling it to them.
However, it wouldn't surprise me if they were buying statistical data such as how many men in which states have ED, high cholesterol, etc., and as long as it's not personally identifiable I don't have a problem with that.
I'm pretty sure this system will be shared with the US government soon.
Read the HSS/HIPAA site as the CDC can already get whatever it wants whenever it wants, so as soon as there's data on file they may ask for it.
I used to be a bit paranoid about stuff like this. After seeing real world examples of how our personal information is handled at the traditional level, I'm more paranoid about giving my SSN to someone that I just met for the very first time, writing it on a piece of paper that will leave my control very shortly. No, I believe you're at more risk doing it the old fashioned way.
For someone who might be overly paranoid, we have the bank safety deposit box. That should keep your medical records secure. But, you'll need to make sure that you gather every single piece of documentation that is generated during your visits. And, you should have an NDA with you and have those reviewing your documents sign it. :)
Its getting pretty scary, we all know EVERYTHING can get hacked, still a piece of paper is more secure then the net.
