Health innovation minister James Frith has warned that public mistrust of US defence and health technology firm Palantir could reduce patients’ willingness to allow their NHS records to be used for research. Frith said he was concerned about the “mistrust” toward the company and “the impact it could have on people’s willingness to share data with the NHS.”
New figures published this week showed a rise in the number of patients withdrawing their data from use in research projects, with tens of thousands recorded as opting out. The increase has prompted fresh concern about the effect on the evidence base used by health services and researchers.
Commentary has focused on Palantir’s involvement with the NHS, with critics warning that public unease over commercial or defence-linked companies handling health information may be driving the surge in opt-outs. Ministers and officials have not, in the material provided, offered a detailed explanation of the causes behind the recent rise.
Experts and campaigners say data sharing underpins many types of clinical research and service planning, and a sustained fall in participation could make it harder to deliver robust studies or to plan services effectively. Frith’s remarks underline the political sensitivity around data partnerships and the need to address public confidence in how NHS data are used.
The developments are likely to feed into ongoing debates about data governance, transparency and the terms of private-sector involvement in NHS data projects. How policymakers and health bodies respond to concerns about trust and opt-out rates may determine future public participation in research based on NHS data.