A new federal initiative could allow Americans to share private medical information through apps run by tech companies. Dr. Celine Gounder joins "CBS Mornings" to explain the benefits and the privacy concerns.

Washington

The White House has introduced a proposal to streamline the process of sharing medical records by creating a digital health ecosystem involving more than 60 private companies, including major tech firms and healthcare providers. This system is designed to allow Americans to share their health data with various apps, including those that use artificial intelligence, to better manage health conditions and facilitate communication between healthcare providers.

However, the initiative has raised significant privacy concerns. Experts highlight that while healthcare providers are strictly regulated in handling patient data, many participating apps are not subject to the same standards and may profit from selling user information. Additional risks include potential data breaches, misuse of information by government agencies, and concerns over the integrity and transparency of health databases.

Health data plan raises privacy questions as firms join WH program

We begin this hour with something that we've all had to deal with, the frustrations of transferring our medical records to a new doctor's office. And then sometimes they ask you to fax it, that's a whole other thing. Now the White House is out with a new proposal that will supposedly make this process a lot easier. The program would allow Americans to share their personal data on apps run by private tech companies. More than 60 companies have agreed to participate. But the idea is raising privacy concerns. So to break it all down, Dr. Selene Gounder is here. She is a CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for Public Health at KFF Health News. Dr. Gounder, good morning. Good morning. So why is the government thinking about launching this system? Well, the administration is trying to make it safer and easier to be sharing medical information. So they're creating what they're calling a digital health ecosystem. This involves more than 60 different companies, including companies like Google or Amazon, Noom, the Cleveland Clinic. And it's to allow people to share their medical information with apps, including apps that use AI. So it might be your diet information, your exercise, your weight, et cetera. So you can better manage these kinds of health conditions. And then in addition, they're establishing a way to allow doctors and healthcare systems to exchange information. Right now, we still, in a lot of cases, rely on faxing. There are some local health information exchanges, but this makes it national to make it a lot easier to share that information. As Adriana mentioned, there are some privacy concerns. So who could be at risk when it comes to your privacy? Well, and this is a big question. So healthcare systems, doctors, we're regulated very tightly in how we use your health information. But if that information leaves and goes to an app that is not regulated in the same way, a lot of apps make money, most of them make money by selling data. Your information. You're selling your information. So that's number one. Do you have control over that? Do you know how your information is being used? Some apps have also had security leaks. We just heard about the dating app, Tea, that was just one in the latest of a string of these. Secondly, could your information be misused? So there are over 20 states right now suing the Trump administration for using or trying to use Medicaid data and giving that to ICE for immigration crackdowns. You might say, I'm not an immigrant. My family's been here since the Mayflower. Well, what if they gave your information to the IRS or the DEA or ATF? So there's some real concerns about that. And then finally, how will the data be potentially changed or manipulated? And we've seen just recently a paper published in The Lancet showing that a number of public health databases, they've been manipulating sex and gender. That may not sound like a big deal, but is that just the tip of the iceberg? We've seen a lot of websites taken down, thousands. So there are real concerns about the integrity and transparency of the data. Yeah. I mean, in theory, it sounds good. It makes it easier for people to have access to their data, but the concerns that you raise, whenever private companies get involved with, let's face it, their bottom line is making money. No doubt about it. Well said, Blaine. Trust. It's all about trust. All about trust. Thank you very much, Dr. Gounder.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Kyiv and Moscow will both have to cede land to end the war in Ukraine and talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week will instantly show whether the Kremlin leader is willing to make a deal.

Ukraine Invasion

Trump says both sides in Ukraine war will need to cede territory

A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues and another journalist in an Israeli airstrike in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza

At last one person is dead, dozens are injured and two people are unaccounted for after an explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Clairton

At least 1 dead, dozens injured in U.S. Steel plant explosion

President Donald Trump has placed the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and announced he's activating the National Guard to combat crime in Washington, D.C.

Trump deploying National Guard to Washington, D.C.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is thanking European leaders for backing his push to join this week's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, insisting an end to the war must be fair.

Alaska

Trump and Putin set to meet on Friday without Zelenskyy

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on Friday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Kyiv and its allies fear being sidelined and worry any deal could reward Moscow’s occupation of Ukrainian territory.

Kyiv

Ukraine fights for a seat at the table ahead of Trump-Putin summit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defending his decision to keep fighting in Gaza, despite protests at home and abroad. Debora Patta has the latest.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Netanyahu defends plan to expand war in Gaza

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is thanking European leaders for backing his push to join this week's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, insisting an end to the war must be fair. Willie James Inman has more from the White House.

Anchorage

Countdown begins to Trump-Putin meeting, without Zelenskyy

Violent weather hit several Midwest states over the weekend, with high winds being blamed for the death of at least one person in Nebraska and flash flooding prompting a state of emergency in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee inundated with floodwaters, one dead in Nebraska

Thirty-seven major wildfires are currently burning across nine states in the western United States. Firefighters have made significant progress on the Canyon Fire in California, achieving 62% containment and allowing over 4,000 residents to return home, with minimal property loss reported.

Major fires continue to burn across western U.S.

President Donald Trump's envoy met with the Qatari prime minister on Saturday in Spain to discuss possible deals to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as Israel's military plans to expand into Gaza City. Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages and Palestinians alike are pleading for peace.

Families of Israeli hostages, Palestinians plead for ceasefire

Renewed anti-government protests have taken place in Israel, where relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas demanded their release and an end to the brutal war Israel has been waging in Gaza.

Israeli anti-government protesters take to the streets in Tel Aviv

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Kyiv "values and fully supports" a joint statement by European leaders that welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to try to end the war, while emphasizing the need to pressure Russia and provide security guarantees for Kyiv.

Europe stresses need to protect Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin meet

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has firmly rejected Russia’s proposal requiring land concessions to end the war. Ukrainian and European officials have submitted a counterproposal to Washington.

Ukraine, Europe counter Russian ceasefire proposal ahead of US talks

There have been more protests, and counter protests, in several British towns and cities, outside of hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers. Some far-right protesters called for one of the hotels to stop housing migrants.

Bournemouth

UK: Anti-immigration & anti-racism protesters face off

A man who opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, firing into the complex from a pharmacy and killing a police officer, blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, according to reports.

Atlanta

Vaccine conspiracy could be behind Atlanta shooting

The Gifford Fire burning through the rugged backcountry of California's Central Coast is now the state's largest wildfire of the year. It has reached so-called "mega-fire" status and is one of 38 large fires burning across nine states.

San Luis Obispo

Largest California wildfire of 2025 reaches "mega fire" status

President Trump is preparing to take another swing at a deal with President Putin during a high-stakes summit next Friday in Anchorage, Alaska. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country will never give up land, even if it means an end to the war.

Trump: Ukraine must cede land for ceasefire; Zelenskyy refuses

The United Nations Security Council is set to hold a rare Sunday meeting to discuss Israel's plan to intensify its 22-month war with Hamas by taking control of Gaza City. CBS News' Debora Patta reports on the conflict and the mounting humanitarian crisis.

Netanyahu's plan to occupy Gaza comes under fire

At least 200 protesters have been arrested at a rally showing solidarity for Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Parliament in London. Crowds are also demonstrating against a ban on the Palestine Action group, after it was designated as a terrorist organisation.

London

London:  Hundreds arrested during Palestine action protest

After almost four decades of a bloody conflict that until recently had no end in sight, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a peace agreement in the presence of the US President Donald Trump. Notably absent in this historic moment is Russia, which no longer plays a central role in the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijan and Armenia sign historic agreement

Montana's governor said that the dayslong manhunt for the suspect in a bar shooting has ended. 45-year-old Michael Brown was taken into custody on Friday.

Anaconda

Montana bar shooting suspect captured after weeklong manhunt

President Trump announced Friday that he will hold a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 in Alaska. The summit comes as Russia has been pushing to keep all the Ukrainian territory it gained from its invasion. Nancy Cordes and Margaret Brennan have the latest.

Trump, Putin to hold meeting in Alaska next week

The U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas in its investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James. CBS News' Jake Rosen reports.

New York

Trump's DOJ subpoenas New York AG Letitia James

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will meet in the coming days, the Kremlin said on Thursday (August 7), as the U.S. president seeks a breakthrough to end the Ukraine war after voicing mounting frustration with his Russian counterpart and threatening him with new sanctions.

Moscow

Kremlin says Trump, Putin to meet soon; Ukraine seeks role for Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump's rushed deadline for Russia to strike a ceasefire deal or face more sanctions has arrived without much movement from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump deadline for Russia to reach ceasefire arrives

Protesters in Israel are voicing their concerns about a plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet to take over Gaza City. CBS News' Debora Patta has more.

Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take over Gaza City

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to take full military control of Gaza and push a new offensive, despite mounting international criticism over the war’s human toll and growing hunger crisis.

Breakdown