DNA and confidential health data from 500,000 volunteers in a major UK health study were found for sale online in China following a recent data breach, the British government announced. The information, taken from the UK Biobank database and listed on Alibaba, lacked names, addresses, or contact details. However, it did contain sensitive information, including gender, age, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle habits.
Technology Minister Ian Murray stated that the breach was an “unacceptable abuse” of data and that access had been revoked for the three research institutions in China that had downloaded it. Participants provided their health-related data for research between 2006 and 2010, sharing detailed lifestyle information and biological samples.
Murray acknowledged the violation of trust this incident represented and thanked the Chinese government for its cooperation, confirming that no purchases were made and the data has been removed. The UK Biobank is a vital dataset used to improve disease detection and treatment, having contributed to over 18,000 scientific papers.
Professor Sir Rory Collins, CEO and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank apologised to participants and announced that access to the research platform has been suspended while additional security measures are put in place.
“We would like to inform you about an incident involving UK Biobank data. We apologise to our participants for the concern this will cause, and we hope to provide reassurance by outlining the serious actions we are taking in response,” Collins wrote on his message.
Professor Elena Simperl from King’s College London emphasised the need for ongoing investment in data safety.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
