U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission calling for an investigation into Amazon’s planned acquisition of 1Life Healthcare, a medical company that oversees an extensive network of primary care providers. If allowed to go forward, this transaction will give Amazon access to a healthcare practice operating more than 180 medical offices throughout the United States.
“This particular acquisition, if allowed to proceed, would represent an alarming new direction for a company that already wields far too much power. Most importantly, this acquisition would provide Amazon with access to enormous tranches of patient data,” Senator Hawley wrote. “Scenarios once written off as scaremongering fictions are now a very real possibility. For instance, if an individual is diagnosed with high blood pressure by a One Medical doctor, will he later be advertised over-the-counter blood pressure medications whenever he shops at Whole Foods Market? Promoting wellness is one thing; dystopian corporate ‘nudging’ is quite another.”
Senator Hawley notes that this acquisition will allow Amazon to enter a new market and subsequently use its considerable resources to become a dominant player, eliminating choices for patients and making Americans dependent on Amazon in disturbing new ways.
Read the entire letter by clicking this link.
