New digital health system promises big gains in screening and treatment, but critics warn it increases the risks of data leaking. Estonian officials are confident they can protect patients’ data, reported Politico.

Estonia has set in motion plans to link whole genome data to more than 20 percent of its population’s health records — but critics warn it comes with huge privacy and data security risks.

Unlocking genome data to inform health care decisions could bring massive gains in targeting patient screening and tailoring medical treatments. It’s a health care goal that many countries in Europe can only dream of: From Germany to Ireland, several EU countries are still transitioning from paper to digital health files, let alone adding patient’s genetic data to their records.

But the plan could also expose Estonia’s genetic data to massive risks: At a time when Russia is saber-rattling at Europe’s borders and launching constant cyberattacks on countries like Estonia, some fear that linking its genetic database to patient records could turn into the country’s Achilles’ heel.

Read the full article HERE.

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