Palantir, the software company founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, on Tuesday won a major contract in Britain to help overhaul the technology system of the country’s state-run health service, overcoming concerns about a firm known for its military-related work in the United States securing such a sensitive role involving patient data.
The National Health Service said Palantir had been awarded the seven-year contract, worth 330 million pounds, or about $415 million, to build a new platform that integrates data from across the N.H.S.
Called the Federated Data Platform, the system is intended to make it easier to share patient information and analyze wider health trends across the sprawling health service.
Palantir was a controversial choice, as some doctors, civil society groups and members of Parliament had raised concerns about giving the company responsibility for building what could eventually become one of the world’s largest repositories of health data.
Palantir was awarded the contract in partnership with Accenture, the business consulting firm, PwC, NECS and Carnall Farrar.
Persons:
Peter Thiel, Palantir, Thiel, Donald J, Trump’s, Carnall Farrar
Organizations:
Tuesday, National Health Service, Federated, Accenture
Locations:
Britain, United States, England, Wales