 Health Care |
Health Care |
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Wyden warns of location data at reproductive clinics being sold |
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) called on federal regulators to intervene in a controversial data broker's bankruptcy proceeding, warning the location data of people visiting abortion clinics could be at risk. |
Wyden's office has been investigating Near Intelligence Inc. since last year after a report by The Wall Street Journal uncovered that an anti-abortion group had used data from the company to target people who had visited reproductive clinics.
Since Roe was overturned in 2022, activists have warned that location tracking data may be used by officials in states with anti-abortion laws to target and prosecute people seeking abortion services as well as the clinicians who provide them.
"If a data broker could track Americans' cell phones to help extremists target misinformation to people at hundreds of Planned Parenthood locations across the United States, a right-wing prosecutor could use that same information to put women in jail," Wyden said in a statement.
Near Intelligence filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December. Wyden called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to intervene and ensure that "all location and device data held by Near about Americans is promptly destroyed and is not sold off, including to another data broker."
Anxieties over the use of location data to go after people seeking abortions have grown even as tech companies have promised to erase such information. Refresher: Google committed to deleting the location data of consumers visiting reproductive clinics, but a study released last month by the nonprofit Accountable Tech found that this action only occurred about 50 percent of the time.
"A person seeking abortion would have the same odds as a coin flip to determine whether their location data might still be retained by Google and used to prosecute them," Accountable Tech said of its findings. |
Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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(NewsNation) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first-ever treatment option for frostbite in adults. The agency approved the Aurlumyn injection, which can help reduce the risk of finger or toe amputation, on Wednesday. "Having this new option provides physicians with a tool that will help prevent the life-changing amputation of one's frostbitten fingers or toes,” said Dr. Norman Stockbridge, the … |
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A Texas federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's Medicare drug price negotiations filed by the pharmaceutical industry lobbying group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The decision marks a small victory for the Biden administration, as it's the first time a court has outright dismissed a challenge to Medicare's new price negotiation powers. There … |
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Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) accused Israel of a "textbook war crime" in remarks on the Senate floor Monday. Van Hollen spoke about a recent analysis from the World Food Program and the United Nations Children’s Fund detailing a lack of access to food in Gaza amid Israel's retaliatory siege against Hamas on the territory. "Kids in Gaza are now dying from the deliberate withholding of food," Van Hollen said in the remarks, … |
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Branch out with a different read: |
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Puerto Rico is entangled in a heated public health debate over vaccines and masks |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A fiery debate over public health and personal rights gripped Puerto Rico this week, intensifying Wednesday when legislators clashed with medical experts. The debate began earlier this month after the administrator of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives announced the mandatory use of face masks, following … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- California prison drug overdoses surge again after early treatment success (KFF Health News)
- State officials step up monitoring of ailing Steward Health Care (WBUR)
- Utah is trying to keep people on Medicaid, but many — including kids — are still losing coverage (The Salt Lake Tribune)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Biogen Alzheimer's drug launch off to slow start (Stat)
- Physicians lobby Congress on Medicare pay cuts (Roll Call)
- Some pregnant women and infants received the wrong R.S.V. shots (The New York Times)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Former President Trump isn't the only public official whose disqualification under the 14th Amendment's insurrection ban has landed at the Supreme … Read more |
| Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said "there is no need for public alarm" after House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) called on President … Read more |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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