Researchers call for greater regulation and transparency as analysis of medicines-related apps found most directly shared user data — including sensitive health data — with third parties, posing an unprecedented privacy risk.

However these apps also pose unprecedented risk to consumers’ privacy given their ability to collect user data, including sensitive information that is highly valuable to commercial interests, new research demonstrates.

Published in BMJ today, the research team — from the University of Sydney, the University of Toronto and University of California — set out to investigate if and how user data is shared by top rated medicines-related mobile apps. It also sought to characterise privacy risks to app users, both clinicians and consumers.

The researchers found sharing of user data by medicines-related apps is routine but far from transparent, and also identified a small number of commercial entities with the ability to aggregate and potentially re-identify user data.

«Privacy regulators should consider that loss of privacy is not a fair cost for the use of digital health services,» said lead author Assistant Professor Quinn Grundy of the University of Toronto and University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Charles Perkins Centre.

How data is shared

The research team identified 24 top rated medicines related apps for the Android mobile platform in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. All apps were available to the public; provided information about medicines dispensing, administration, prescribing, or use; and were interactive.

Story Source: Materials provided by University of Sydney. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.