The confidential health records of half a million British volunteers were listed for sale on the Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba, the UK government has confirmed. Technology minister Ian Murray told the Commons on Thursday that three separate listings had been identified and subsequently removed with the help of the Chinese government and Alibaba. It is not believed any sales were made.
The data, described as 'de-identified' and belonging to participants in the UK Biobank project, did not include names, addresses or precise dates of birth but still posed privacy risks. The breach follows a Guardian investigation last month that revealed UK Biobank data had been exposed online dozens of times, raising concerns about security.
Murray said the government had ensured Biobank revoked access to the three research institutions identified as the source of the data. Biobank has also temporarily suspended all access to its data. The charity has referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, called the breach 'incredibly serious' and said it was 'yet another blow to public trust'. Prof Felix Ritchie, an economist at the University of the West of England, accused UK Biobank of being 'supremely careless' with volunteers' data, adding: 'I don't think they've got a grip of it.'
UK Biobank chief executive Prof Rory Collins apologised for the concern caused and said the organisation had 'put in place technology, processes and a board-led review to stop this happening again'. The UK Biobank holds health data including genome sequences, brain scans, blood samples and diagnostic records from 500,000 volunteers.
