CDC investigates blockchain for disease surveillance: 4 things to know

The CDC's Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services is researching how blockchain could improve data sharing related to public health crises, according to MIT Technology Review.

Here are four things to know about the CDC's research on blockchain.

1. Jim Nasr, chief software architect at the center, told MIT Technology Review he's leading a team of researchers developing proof-of-concept projects based on blockchain. Their goal is to build toward real applications next year.

2. The majority of the projects, which the team has been working on for several months, are focused on disease surveillance. If someone contracts hepatitis A, for example, it's important to alert the CDC and local health departments and for these agencies to share data to identify the contaminant.

3. In terms of public health surveillance, blockchain could help agencies more efficiently manage data during a pandemic. It could also help track information related to ongoing public health emergencies, like opioid misuse.

4. Unlike a traditional database that is centrally located and maintained by one party, blockchain technology can be shared among a network of computers. When used in a public health initiative, these networks might be able to automate secure data sharing and storage for the CDC, state and local health agencies.

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