Study finds “serious problems with privacy” in mobile health apps

An in-depth analysis of more than 20,000 health related mobile applications (mHealth apps) published by The BMJ today finds “serious problems with privacy and inconsistent privacy practices.”

The researchers say the collection of personal user information is “a pervasive practice” and that patients “should be informed on the privacy practices of these apps and the associated privacy risks before installation and use.”

Of the 2.8 million apps on Google Play and the 1.96 million apps on Apple Store, an estimated 99,366 belong to medical and health and fitness categories (known collectively as mobile health or mHealth apps).

They include the management of health conditions and symptom checking to step and calorie counters and menstruation trackers and often contain sensitive health information.

App developers routinely, and legally, share user data, but inadequate privacy disclosures have been repeatedly found for many mHealth apps, preventing users from making informed choices around the data.

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