Tech giant with deep DOGE ties widens grip on health data
Ρаlаntіr executive Clark Minor has been named chief information officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Minor will steward a vast database containing millions of clinical records, insurance claims, and other sensitive information collected through various HHS programs.
Why it's important: Ρаlаntіr, a data analytics consulting company mostly known for its intelligence work — and the militarization of AI — is expanding into other sectors, with a specific interest in health.
Minor is one of several Ρаlаntіr alumni taking senior roles in the Trump administration, alongside others linked to Elon Musk’s government destruction initiative, DOGE.
The overlap between Ρаlаntіr alumni and key positions in DOGE suggests strong cross-pollination. Some DOGE members not linked to Ρаlаntіr are linked to the company’s founder, Peter Thiel.
Ρаlаntіr’s software is being deployed far beyond its roots in defense and intelligence.
The company won a £330 million contract with Britain’s NHS at the end of 2023 (the largest-ever NHS IT contract) in a bidding process that was widely criticized as uncompetitive.
The contract gives Ρаlаntіr access to the world’s largest trove of centralized patient data, including clinical records. Legal groups and the British Medical Association warn this could lead to data-sharing with law enforcement or immigration agencies. In the U.S., Ρаlаntіr works closely with ICE.
Other concerns have been raised that the NHS could be locked into dependence on Ρаlаntіr, as the latter’s proprietary systems make data extraction difficult.
There has also been confusion over whether patients are able to opt out of data-sharing agreements between the NHS and third parties, opening the door to speculation on how such data could be used in the future, and by whom.
Ρаlаntіr has been pursuing Canadian government contracts for years, with a specific focus on health care.
Last year, a sole distributor was named to supply Ρаlаntіr’s software to Canadian governmental agencies. The president of Ρаlаntіr Canada served as our ambassador to the U.S. from 2016–2019.
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Freeland pitches cash incentives to bring nurses and doctors home from the US
Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland wants to offer $200,000 signing bonuses and up to $300,000 in student loan relief for doctors, while nurses would receive $100,000 and up to $50,000 in loan forgiveness.
Why it’s important: Canada’s health staffing shortage is at the heart of many of Canada's health care woes. A sudden influx of experienced professionals from the U.S. is a compelling solution.
Whether Canada’s working conditions and pay structures are competitive enough to retain these workers long-term is an open question. Though for some, our relatively stable political climate and distinct culture may be sufficient pull factors.
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RFK Jr. targets antidepressants in first policy push as head of HHS
Newly confirmed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is directing the U.S. government to investigate the “threat” of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.
Why it’s important: Kennedy seems intent on restricting access to, and further stigmatizing mental health treatment. Kennedy has repeatedly linked antidepressants to school shootings and addiction, and been thoroughly debunked.
Kennedy has also described rolling out “wellness farms” across the U.S. to force people to withdraw from psychiatric drugs, including SSRIs and Adderall. The idea has a concerning Canadian connection. 15,000 physicians signed a letter opposing Kennedy’s appointment, which was sealed up this past week.
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Alberta’s health minister under fire over procurement scandal
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Health Minister Adriana LaGrange will stay in her role despite an investigation into allegations of corrupt procurement practices, even as a member of Smith’s cabinet calls for LaGrange’s ouster.
Why it’s important: Alberta’s push to expand private surgical clinics is now at the heart of what’s being called the largest political scandal in Alberta's history.
The now-ex CEO of AHS alleges government officials pressured her to sign overpriced contracts with private surgical firms. The Auditor General is also investigating a $28M pre-payment to MHCare for children’s pain medication, which was approved two weeks after hospitals were told to stop using it. LaGrange has been barred from making any procurement decisions, but will continue overseeing Alberta’s major health system restructuring.
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CDC goes dark on bird flu, as DOGE guts outbreak response
Experts say they are flying blind as the CDC withholds influenza and H5N1 data, halts key reporting, and cuts off communication with the WHO.
Why it’s important: The U.S. is in one of its worst flu seasons in decades, with 24 million reported cases and 310,000 hospitalizations since October. Meanwhile, H5N1 continues spreading in cattle, with reports of spillover becoming more frequent.
CDC data and public health alerts have been delayed or unpublished, leaving organizations and frontline workers without information on virus severity, spread, and recommended precautions. The CDC has also stopped reporting flu data to global monitoring systems, cutting off international disease surveillance. This week, DOGE's mass-firings decimated the USDA’s bird flu response, torching domestic surveillance capacity. Also, “DOGE USDA” is now a thing.
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