LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA (FRIDAY, January 11th, 2019) – What new challenges are healthtech companies facing in the field of data privacy and ethics? Swift Medical CEO, Carlo Perez, sat down with Bruno Morency of Techstars, Moti Shkolnik of Firedome and Erin Locker of Cooley LLP at CES 2019. The panel discussed security, privacy and regulatory challenges associated with the collection of user data for artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Collecting massive consumer data sets is an ongoing trend in industry. This data represents considerable research and development value for healthtech companies looking to gain insight into consumer behaviours. Despite this ongoing trend, Perez cautioned against the collection of data without appropriate infrastructure, “The use and storage of massive data sets like our wound photography repository should always be done with the end user in mind. We like to think we are still working with the patient when we analyze data, and as a result, our commitment to security, privacy, and confidentiality is pervasive across our organization. This spans from physical infrastructure, to data storage and ongoing threat and risk assessments.”

When asked about data ethics tips for startups entering the industry, Perez added, “Data scientists and engineers will need to work in tandem with regulatory officials and academic bodies to stay ahead of regional and international data laws. Getting buy-in from industry representatives will also strengthen our collective commitment to regulatory changes and foster an ecosystem of ethics.”