Portuguese company Promptly Health has announced a partnership with a Brazilian group to connect clinical data from over 70 million people. The goal is to create a transcontinental database that enables medical research without compromising privacy. Hospitals maintain control of the information, while patients could benefit from more effective treatments.
How health data anonymization works 🏥
The system uses pseudonymization and encryption techniques so that health data travels without direct personal identifiers. Security protocols such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (LGPD) in Brazil are applied. Researchers access aggregated datasets, not individual records. Cloud infrastructure enables analysis without physically moving the records.
Your medical history is now taking an international trip ✈️
So, while you struggle to remember your last dentist appointment, your health data is taking a trip to Brazil without asking your permission. But don't worry, it's for your own good: some lab might discover that ibuprofen and coffee are not a good combination. The important thing is that hospitals don't lose control, even if you have to sign a consent form the size of a novel.