From this week, UK users who ask Alexa health-related questions — “Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?” — will be provided with answers vetted by NHS health professionals. The UK’s Department of Health (DoH) said the move will reduce the pressure on NHS professionals in the country, giving users an easy way to access authoritative medical advice. The NHS also said it’s up for similar collaboration with other tech companies. With voice-search technology on the rise, the DOH’s decision will likely benefit elderly people and those with visual impairments, who may otherwise struggle to look up such such information on devices with screens.
— Dr David Wrigley (@DavidGWrigley) July 10, 2019 But it also goes without saying that patients with complex healthcare needs shouldn’t fully rely on Alexa as their only source of advice, not to mention raising questions about privacy and data security. The retail giant, however, noted that personal information will be kept confidential, and not shared with third parties, used to sell products or to build a health profile. Given that Alexa already responds to health queries from users, some of the concerns may be overblown. But it will be interesting to see how this debate plays out.
