Private Industry, NHS data

From the BBC:

“The end-game is for the NHS to be working hand-in-glove with industry as the fastest adopter of new ideas in the world,” he is due to say.

That would act as a “huge magnet to pull new innovations through, right along the food-chain – from the labs, to the boardrooms, to the hospital bed”, he will add. Under the plans, which were unveiled as part of the Autumn Statement, NHS records would be made anonymous and then made available to private firms.

Areas to think about:

• Any there any theoretical ethical objections to the sharing of anonymised patient data in this way?
• Are there any practical ethical objections?
• Should individuals have an opt-out on sharing anonymised data?
• Should individuals be compensated (financially or otherwise) for allowing their data to be used?