In order to enable the researchers selected for Kennedy’s study to examine “comprehensive” patient data with “broad coverage” of the US population,
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on Monday, April 21, that it is collecting private medical records from various federal and commercial databases as part of the study.
NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said, “The idea of the platform is that the existing data resources are often fragmented and difficult to obtain,” according to CBS News.
“The same data resource is often paid for more than once by the NIH itself. It is challenging to access data resources, even those inside the federal government.
Claims from commercial insurance, lab and genetic data from patients treated by the Indian Health Service and Department of Veterans Affairs,
Prescription records from drugstore chains, and information from fitness trackers and smartwatches will all be included in the data.
