‘Alexa, my head hurts’: UK health service signs up Amazon

LONDON: “Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?” The UK government said Wednesday that Britons will be able to get an answer to this and other simple medical queries from the National Health Service (NHS) using their Amazon smart speakers.
The state-run health system’s tie-up with the US-based technology giant drew praise from overworked doctors and professionals weary of bad medical advice proliferating online.
But privacy campaigners expressed alarm over the possibility of Amazon storing medical data and then using it to sell targeted ads.
“Technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading NHS advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking GPs and pharmacists,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a statement.
Amazon said it began updating its Echo smart speakers to search NHS websites for medical answers at the start of the week.