Q&a: an expert sounds the alarm about unchecked sharing of health app data

Few things worry Kirsten Ostherr more than how our personal health data is being used. The director of Rice University’s Medical Futures Lab is concerned about many Americans using apps or

wearable devices that collect data without their knowing that companies may sell or share their personal information. She believes the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates only a

small fraction of the apps available for smartphone users, has “fundamentally different and really contradictory” regulations for the collection of health data for clinical purposes as

opposed to those primarily used by consumers. “We treat this data as if they don’t need protections when in fact they actually paint a very detailed picture of people that can expose them to

harm without them realizing it,” Ostherr told STAT. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in THIS ARTICLE IS EXCLUSIVE TO STAT+ SUBSCRIBERS UNLOCK THIS ARTICLE — PLUS IN-DEPTH

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