Big Tech wants unfettered access to personal patient data -- NOW
Also: The markets are tumbling as the first case of novel coronavirus hits New York
Breaking: The markets are tumbling as the first case of the new coronavirus is reported in New York City and the U.S. government announces a total quarantine of Americans returning from the Chinese city at the epicenter of the outbreak (see the latest map of the virus spread at the bottom of this email)…
Also see the Public Policy section for the latest on the SEC’s new disclosure rules — corporate governance is taking a serious hit.
Now let’s get to the digest…
If you’d told anyone in the 2019 healthcare industry that they’d be rooting for Epic Systems in 2020, they’d think you were crazy. But here we are:
The top-ranked software maker, which also hosts applications and created the industry’s most-used patient portal, is now leading the resistance against Big Tech’s plan to vacuum up all personal patient data.
Silicon Valley lobbying dollars are working hard against it. Two Trump Administration officials have supported changes that will clear the way for Big tech’s plans in the past week. And (update 2/4:) Big Tech is keeping up the pressure.
Media awareness to Big Tech’s real intentions is growing… and tech executives from Microsoft and others are starting to voice their own concerns in public forums.
And beyond the growing privacy threat, doctors, medical associations and healthcare executives are deeply worried about this.
We might want to listen.
TODAY IN…
DEEP TECH:
The maiden flight of Boeing’s 777X was a defining moment for additive manufacturing (originally tagged “3D printing”). Each of the plane’s General Electric GE9X engines included 300 additively manufactured parts
Apple and Broadcom must pay $1.1 billion in damages for infringing the California Institute of Technology’s patents on Wi-Fi transmissions
MEDIA & TELECOM:
Warren Buffett throws in the towel on his newspaper empire
Taylor Swift has real competition in the celebrity marketing genius category.
HEALTHCARE TECH:
Can strategic buyers keep up with private equity and venture capital in healthcare tech?
FINANCE:
The concentration of household equity ownership among the wealthiest households is at an all-time high:
… And the top 1% now hold 56% of all household equities.
PUBLIC POLICY:
SEC releases proposed disclosure changes … See also: Daniel Loeb slams Washington ‘swamp’ in tussle over SEC rule … And this: Top U.S. fund firms split over new limits on shareholder votes
The SEC also released its guidelines for cybersecurity and resiliency
Meanwhile…