Researchers from China will gain access to up to half a million UK GP records through UK Biobank, despite concerns from UK security agencies regarding potential misuse by the authoritarian regime. The data will support legitimate research but could still allow individual identification, as personal details are stripped. MI5 has cautioned that Chinese entities could be compelled by intelligence agencies. The decision comes amid a context of economic relations with China, emphasizing a balance between scientific progress and national security considerations.
MI5, the UK Security Service, has warned that Chinese organisations and individuals granted access to UK data can be ordered by Chinese intelligence agencies to carry out work on their behalf.
Personal details such as names and dates of birth are stripped from UK Biobank data before it is shared but experts say that in some cases individuals can still be identified.
As Keir Starmer's ministers court Beijing in search of economic growth, the decision avoids crossing a rising superpower that has made biotech prowess a priority.
Security and privacy considerations are always taken into account when UK health data is used to drive forward our understanding of diseases and advance scientific research.
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