谷歌医疗数据交易引发质疑

 　　This is the story of two deals and the future of healthcare in the UK.

　　这是一个关于两笔交易以及英国医疗卫生事业未来的故事。

　　The first was made in September 2015, under which three UK hospitals in the Royal Free NHS Trust handed the identifiable patient records of more than 2m Londoners to DeepMind, an artificial intelligence company wholly owned by Google.

　　第一笔交易完成于2015年9月，根据这项交易，三家隶属英国皇家自由NHS信托基金会(Royal Free NHS Trust)的医院将超过200万名伦敦市民的可识别个人身份的病历交给了DeepMind，谷歌(Google)全资拥有的一家人工智能公司。

　　With the company riding high on breakthroughs in the fields of game play and image recognition, DeepMind Health was launched in February.

　　随着DeepMind在游戏竞技以及图像识别领域不断取得重大突破，DeepMind Health在今年2月应运而生。

　　Strangely for an AI company with no healthcare experience, DeepMind Health’s inaugural¹ project claimed it had nothing to do with AI.

　　而对一家没有医疗经验的人工智能公司来说颇为奇怪的是，DeepMind Health的首个项目号称与人工智能没有任何关系。

　　Rather, it involved developing Streams, a mobile app, to integrate data and co-ordinate push alerts concerning acute kidney injury,

　　相反，该项目涉及开发一款名为Streams的移动应用，用于有关急性肾脏损伤的整合数据以及协调推送通知。

　　a serious condition affecting up to one in six National Health Service patients.

　　在英国国家医疗服务体系(NHS)的病人中，存在这一严重病情的病人比例高达六分之一。

　　In April, an investigation² by New Scientist revealed the scale of DeepMind’s data hoard³ — a five-year superset, covering almost every patient passing through Royal Free — as well as the commercial terms: essentially⁴, that there were none.

　　今年4月，由《新科学家》(New Scientist)进行的一项调查揭示了DeepMind海量数据的规模——这是一个时间跨度长达5年的超大集合，涵盖了皇家自由基金会系统内的几乎所有病人——调查还揭示了这些数据的商业条款：基本上没有任何商业条款。

　　The claimed basis for sharing the data was implied consent for direct clinical care for kidney injury.

　　这一数据共享的公开依据是对肾脏损伤进行直接临床救治的默示同意。

　　The problem is that the data set extended well beyond those who will be monitored or treated for this condition: it extended hospital-wide, raising issues about proper compliance⁵ with data protection, privacy and medical confidentiality⁶ rules.

　　问题在于，数据集的覆盖面远远超过了因这一病症而被监测或治疗的群体：数据延伸至整个医院，由此引出了有关如何恰当遵守数据保护、隐私以及医疗保密等方面规定的问题。

　　Perhaps even more importantly, engaging with citizens about the deal and exploring the desirability of open, competitive, forward-looking service procurement⁷ beyond Google, seemed not to enter consideration.

　　或许更重要的是，与市民接触、交流对于此项交易的看法，以及在谷歌之外探索公开、竞争性、前瞻的服务采购的可取程度，似乎并未被纳入考虑范围。

　　The second deal was rather more proactive.

　　第二项交易更加主动积极。

　　Last month, perhaps in anticipation⁸ of regulatory action after a year of silence (the first deal is the subject of an investigation by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office and a review by the National Data Guardian⁹, plus DeepMind’s self-styled independent reviewers), a five-year agreement was signed.

　　上月，或许是预见到了在一年的沉寂之后将有监管举措出台（第一笔交易受到了英国信息专员办公室(UK Information Commissioner’s Office)的调查以及国家健康和医疗数据守护者(National Data Guardian)的评估，DeepMind自诩的独立评估方也参与了评估），双方进一步签署了一项为期五年的合作协议。

　　This accord contains a remarkable¹⁰ pivot¹¹.

　　这项协议包含了一个值得关注的转折。

　　After a year of structuring the whole Trust-wide data set, DeepMind has developed a software interface¹² that allows multiple conditions to be monitored and provides a platform for an open innovation ecosystem¹³.

　　在花费了一年时间设计整个基金会系统的数据集结构之后，DeepMind开发了一个软件界面，可用于监测多种病情，并为开放创新的生态系统提供一个平台。

　　Open, that is, except that the platform is strictly¹⁴ owned and controlled by DeepMind under a time-bound licence that prevents the Royal Free hospital working directly with any other provider.

　　不过，这种开放是有限度的——整个平台由DeepMind根据一项有时间限制的许可协议（阻止皇家自由医院与其他任何提供商直接合作）严格拥有和掌控。

　　DeepMind, for its part, wishes to enable a community of innovators to develop niche¹⁵ applications over the top of data acquired through the first deal.

　　DeepMind希望借此形成一个创新者社区，在通过第一项交易获得的数据基础上开发细分应用。

　　Many of DeepMind’s aspirations¹⁶ are laudable, particularly its promises to bring cutting-edge provenance¹⁷, transparency and audit¹⁸ to data flows.

　　DeepMind有不少值得赞许的抱负，特别是该公司承诺将把尖端的来源鉴定、透明化以及审计技术应用到数据流上。

　　However, it is critical that this company’s dealmaking does not involve special treatment, particularly given it can only do much of what it does because of the money and power of Google, its patron, which has long coveted¹⁹ the healthcare market.

　　但有一点非常关键，该公司的商业交易不应牵涉特殊待遇，尤其是考虑到该公司之所以能开展其目前进行的绝大部分业务，靠的是来自其母公司谷歌的资金和影响力，而谷歌长期以来一直对医疗卫生市场垂涎三尺。

　　Until now, DeepMind’s deals have attracted no comment from those with oversight²⁰ of sensitive data processing, despite clear questions about both the direct care justification²¹ for processing and where the control of data-processing lies.

　　直到现在，负责监督敏感数据处理的相关部门也没有对DeepMind的交易发表评论，尽管在两方面（以直接救治为理由的数据处理，以及对数据处理的管控从何体现）明显存在问题。

　　These deals matter as a litmus test of our institutions and our instincts, and whether we can advance technologically²² without evading²³ due process and hard-earned rights.

　　这些交易意义重大，是检验我们的机构、我们的直觉、以及我们能否取得技术进步而不回避正当程序和来之不易的权利的试金石。

　　The primary limits to promising²⁴ advances in machine learning are access to data and computing²⁵ power.

　　机器学习取得重大发展所面临的主要限制在于数据的可获得性以及计算能力。

　　The Royal Free deals do a civic²⁶ disservice if they undervalue publicly funded data sets, while failing to consider the long-term consequences of giving advance access to powerful private prospectors²⁷.

　　皇家自由基金会的交易对公众不利——如果它们低估了源于公共资金支持的数据集的价值，同时也未考虑到给予实力强劲的私营开拓企业先入优势的长期后果。

　　DeepMind may be a worthy²⁸ partner but it must prove itself as such so that the future of healthcare is genuinely competitive, open, fair and in the public interest.

　　DeepMind或许是一个有价值的合作伙伴，但该公司必须证明自己确实如此，以确保医疗卫生事业的未来真正具有竞争性、开放、公平以及符合公众利益。

1 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

4 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

5 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

6 confidentiality   

n.秘而不宣，保密

参考例句：

• They signed a confidentiality agreement. 他们签署了一份保守机密的协议。
• Cryptography is the foundation of supporting authentication, integrality and confidentiality. 而密码学是支持认证、完整性和机密性机制的基础。

7 procurement   

n.采购；获得

参考例句：

• He is in charge of the procurement of materials.他负责物资的采购。
• More and more,human food procurement came to have a dominant effect on their evolution.人类获取食物愈来愈显著地影响到人类的进化。

8 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

9 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

10 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

11 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

12 interface   

n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系

参考例句：

• My computer has a network interface,which allows me to get to other computers.我的计算机有网络接口可以与其它计算机连在一起。
• This program has perspicuous interface and extensive application. 该程序界面明了，适用范围广。

13 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

14 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

15 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

16 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

17 provenance   

n.出处；起源

参考例句：

• Kato was fully aware of the provenance of these treasures.加藤完全清楚这些珍宝的来源。
• This plant's provenance is Asiadj.这种植物原产于亚洲。

18 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

19 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

21 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

22 technologically   

ad.技术上地

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a technologically advanced city. 上海是中国的一个技术先进的城市。
• Many senior managers are technologically illiterate. 许多高级经理都对技术知之甚少。

23 evading   

逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出

参考例句：

• Segmentation of a project is one means of evading NEPA. 把某一工程进行分割，是回避《国家环境政策法》的一种手段。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Too many companies, she says, are evading the issue. 她说太多公司都在回避这个问题。

24 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

25 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

26 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

27 prospectors   

n.勘探者，探矿者( prospector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The prospectors have discovered such minerals as calcite,quartz and asbestos here. 探矿人员在这里发现了方解石、石英、石棉等矿藏。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The prospectors have discovered many minerals here. 探矿人员在这里发现了许多矿藏。 来自辞典例句

28 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。