Doctors against Palantir’s NHS software put ‘ideology over patient interest’
The doctors who opposed the use of software developed by Palantir in NHS “chose the ideology through patient interest”, the technology giant’s British boss told MPs.
Louis Mosley took part in front of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Tuesday as a part of the innovation showcase.
While there, he challenged Palantir’s allegations of “reputation” and said that he was “very proud of his work in Israel.
Palantir founded by Peter Thiel, a billionaire technology entrepreneur, an early supporter of US President Donald Trump and worked with the US government.
In November 2023, a group led by Palantir provided a £ 330 million contract to provide the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP).
The shared software system will aim to facilitate health and care organizations to work together and to provide better service to patients, but Palantir’s participation has led to concerns about how to use patient data.
When asked by the MPs about how the company protects the patient privacy and whether the data will be processed outside of the UK or whether it can be accessed by any foreign government, Mosley said: “The way of working and data controllers of our software – data controllers – therefore, the organizations of the organizations that have the legal responsibility.
“In other words, each of them takes their own example and checks who has access, check which data is integrated, and actually apply and apply the data protection policies they deem appropriate.”
He also stressed that Palantir does not have any economic benefit from the data, the data belongs to the customer ”.
Mr. Mosley allegedly chose Palantir’s participation in the FDP’s participation in FDP.
The British Medical Association (BMA) comes after a movement stating that the company was a “unacceptable choice için for FDP at the company’s annual representation meeting in Liverpool last month.
The members of the union voted in favor of BMA lobbying against the promotion of Palanttir software in health service, and the Health and Social Care Department called for an inspection of the progress of the purchase of systems throughout the NHS.
When asked about this, Mr. Mosley said: “To see this was very disappointed.
“I think BMA, if I were honest, has ideology according to patient interest.
“I think our software will make the patient’s lives better, so his treatments make their health system more efficient.
“And I want it to be as fast and efficient as possible, as a patient and NHS user.
“Obviously, I feel very sorry that ideology is prioritized according to these areas of interest.”
The BMA vote has come a little more than a year since it prevented health workers from entering the center of NHS to the center of England to end Palantir’s contract.
In April 2024, hundreds of NHS employees protested in the center of London and hired banners saying “No Palantir in NHS” and “Palantir Aits Apartheid”.
Mr. Mosley also returned to the allegations about Palantir’s reputation.
Mosley’e Palantir’s conservative deputy Kit Malthouse said that he had “difficulty in reputation ..
“Everyone suspects a little bit about what you do,” he said. “And some of this challenge was due to the use of your software in the Gaza war and the targeting of Palestinians with certain characteristics.
“What guards do you fulfill to ensure that the UK programs are not a criminal partner in the War Crimes Commission?”
Mr. Mosley said that he would “push the question around the reputation:“ I think most of this concern and doubt you are talking about is the nature of our software, the nature of our business model and the misunderstandings of the business type we support.
“I will emphasize the fact that we will never work in countries such as China, Russia or Iran that we never work for and that we will never work in the West.
“We are working in Israel. We are proud of the work we do there. We have provided support to Israelis since October 7, and at the same time, our business comes before these events.
“I cannot enter the operational details of the use of our software, but I can be sure that I do not think that the systems you can tame like lavender are not.”
