Nih To Collect Americans’ Health Data For Autism Registry: Report

[Craig Nigrelli]

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH COULD SOON BE COLLECTING THE PRIVATE HEALTH DATA OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AS PART OF HEALTH SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR’S EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OR CAUSES OF AUTISM.

ACCORDING TO CBS NEWS, NIH DIRECTOR DOCTOR JAY BHATTACHARYA TOLD ADVISERS MONDAY THE AGENCY WILL USE MEDICATION RECORDS FROM PHARMACY CHAINS; DATA FROM PATIENTS TREATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE; CLAIMS FROM PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES; AND DATA FROM SMARTWATCHES AND FITNESS TRACKERS TO COMPILE “COMPREHENSIVE” DATA FROM THE U.S. POPULATION.

BHATTACHARYA REPORTEDLY TOLD ADVISERS THE NIH IS IN TALKS WITH THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES TO BROADEN ACCESS TO THEIR DATA.

HE SAID A NEW DISEASE REGISTRY IS BEING LAUNCHED TO TRACK AMERICANS WITH AUTISM, WHICH WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE DATA.

THE DATA WILL ACCESSIBLE TO RESEARCHERS OUTSIDE THE NIH PICKED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROJECT.

BHATTACHARYA SAID WHILE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND STUDY THE PRIVATE MEDICAL DATA RESEARCHERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD IT AND PROMISED  “STATE OF THE ART PROTECTIONS” FOR PEOPLE’S INFORMATION.

HE DID NOT SAY WHAT THOSE PROTECTIONS WOULD ENTAIL.

DURING A RECENT CABINET MEETING KENNEDY GAVE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AN IDEA OF HOW QUICKLY HIS AGENCY IS MOVING ON THE STUDY.

KENNEDY SAID

“We are going to cognize by September. We’ve launched a monolithic testing and investigation effort that’s gonna impact hundreds of scientists from astir nan world. By September, we will cognize what has caused nan autism epidemic, and we’ll beryllium capable to destruct those exposures.”

HOWEVER, THE N-I-H DIRECTOR WALKED THAT BACK TOUESDAY. HE SAID IT COULD TAKE UNTIL NEXT YEAR TO GET PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM THE STUDIES.

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