Arabic version: تم العثور على بيانات صحية من بنك المملكة المتحدة الحيوي معروضة للبيع على منصة صينية
According to BBC News,
The health information of 500,000 members of the UK’s health data project, UK Biobank, were offered for sale online in China, the government has confirmed. Technology minister Ian Murray said information of all members of the database was found listed for sale on the website Alibaba.
Murray told MPs the charity which runs UK Biobank had told the government about the data breach on Monday. He assured that the compromised data does not include personal identifiers such as names, addresses, or telephone numbers. The UK Biobank is currently investigating the situation and has expressed gratitude towards the UK and Chinese governments, as well as Alibaba, for their support and cooperation.
UK Biobank’s Chief Executive, Professor Sir Rory Collins, addressed participants, acknowledging the anxiety caused by the listings. He reassured them that all data involved is de-identified and does not contain any personally identifying information (such as names, addresses, dates of birth, and NHS numbers). Murray also noted that no purchases were made from the listings, which have since been taken down from the site.
An official from the Information Commissioner’s Office emphasized the importance of handling sensitive medical data with care and highlighted the legal responsibilities organizations have in protecting such information. The UK Biobank has made the authorities aware of the incident, and inquiries are underway.
