Lessons for synthetic data from care.data's past.

Abdulrahman, Sahar; Trengove, Markus · NPJ Digit Med · 2025

review · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

The use of synthetic data to augment real-world data in healthcare can ensure AI models perform more accurately, and fairly across subgroups. By examining a parallel case study of NHS England’s care.data platform, this paper explores why care.data failed and offers recommendations for future synthetic data initiatives centring on confidentiality, consent and transparency as key areas of focus needed to encourage successful adoption.