Data protection advocates cry foul as Google takes over health records

While Google says it will continue to ring-fence the patient data, critics say the potential for abuse is significant

Three years ago, artificial intelligence company DeepMind embarked on a landmark effort to transform health care in the UK. Now plans by owner Alphabet to wrap the partnership into its Google search engine business are tripping alarm bells about privacy.
 
Data protection advocates cried foul when the company reversed course on an earlier pledge to keep DeepMind Health, which taps millions of British medical records to monitor and diagnose disease, separate from Google. This month Alphabet said it plans to consolidate the businesses.
 
While Google says it will continue to ring-fence the patient data, critics say the potential