A former cabinet minister has called for drug companies to get easier access to NHS data.
Greg Clark, who was the business secretary under Theresa May, has backed a report that says it would save lives and give the country’s finances a multi-billion-pound boost.
It calls for firms to be able to see anonymised raw details – which would not reveal patients’ private information. But the call will prove controversial, amid warnings that the data could fall into the wrong hands.
Mr Clark said the UK “cannot hope to compete on the international stage without… the right policies”.
The NHS has access to some of the most comprehensive sets of health-related data in the world, with more than 60 million registered patients.
Pharmaceutical firms believe its sheer size could allow them to uncover patterns that could potentially open up new types of treatments.
Making NHS data easier for commercial researchers to use could add more than ÂŁ10bn a year to the UK economy and create new medicines, according to new research by LEK Consulting, commissioned by science charity SCI, previously known as the Society for Chemical Industry.
The SCI’s chief executive, Sharon Todd, admitted the idea would provoke “controversy”, but said it could be “transformational for the UK economy”.
Mr Clark, who is also the chair of the board of trustees at the SCI, said the organisation knew “first-hand the extent of our country’s considerable potential in life sciences… with world-leading academic institutions and a swathe of start-up potential, the UK has all the ingredients it needs to be a global leader in the sector.
“However, we cannot hope to compete on the international stage without first having the right policies in place. Our research highlights meaningful action that policymakers can take to realise the future of UK life sciences.”
But Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor at ESET Internet Security, said: “Sharing your health data with pharmaceutical companies has the power of helping advance medical research, but it also carries worrying privacy and security risks for people to be vigilant of.
“Unfortunately, even anonymised data could raise privacy concerns as there’s the risk that your information could be used for commercial gain without clear benefit to you, or even shared further without your knowledge.
“Ethical issues around consent, transparency and data security mean it’s incredibly important to understand who will access your data, how it will be used and what safeguards are in place before agreeing to share it. All of which is often an afterthought for those whose data it is. But as with encrypted communications, even limited access can be exploited, leading to much bigger problems in cybersecurity and privacy.”
It is not the first time the idea has been suggested. In 2023, the boss of GlaxoSmithKline called for drug companies to get easier access to NHS patient data.
Dame Emma Walmsley called on the then-PM Rishi Sunak to “do more” as she argued that handing over anonymised files on millions of Brits would “prevent and treat disease more effectively”.
Some NHS data can already be shared with other organisations, if it is “necessary and proportionate”, according to NHS England.
A government spokesperson said: “We are investing up to £600 million to create a new health data research service in partnership with the Wellcome Trust and backing the UK’s £108 billion life sciences sector is a core part of our plans to grow the economy, create jobs, and rebuild the NHS as part of our Plan for Change.
“The NHS will also work hand-in-hand with life sciences research institutions and medical technology companies to drive forward the development of new treatments and help grow these industries, while ensuring appropriate privacy and national security safeguards are in place.”
