A while ago I saw The DropoutA series based on the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her startup, Theranos, explores the ethical and security dilemmas of technology applied to medicine. Theranos promised to revolutionize healthcare with fast and affordable blood tests, but a lack of accuracy and security controls compromised both patient health and trust in data protection. This story makes me think about the importance of having reliable security measures, such as digital identity verification and the role biometrics could play biometrics could play if it emerges as a powerful tool to prevent identity theft and protect sensitive data in the healthcare sector.

While the series does not directly address digital identity verification, it does highlight the remarkable manipulation of medical results to convince investors, partners and patients that their blood tests were accurate, even though they did not meet ethical standards.

This practice compromised the protection of personal and medical data, putting patients’ health at risk with inaccurate diagnoses. Although -I suppose- it is an anecdote in Silicon Valley, in Latin America users also face similar problems.

In April 2024, for example, a criminal network dedicated to the alteration and illegal sale of adulterated cancer and HIV drugs was dismantled in a municipality near the Colombian capital. According to The WThe organization obtained drugs through third parties and, at times, with the support of health workers who tricked patients into diverting the drugs, altering them and putting those who consumed them at risk. Among the drugs affected were treatments for cancer, HIV/AIDS and chronic pain, many of them of high cost and institutional use.

In Costa Rica, the Operation Pangea XIII -which was carried out at the height of the pandemic – led to the seizure of more than 11,000 units of illegal products, including drugs and medicinal products, with a value of close to USD $125,000, reported BBC Mundo.

Digital identity verification for the healthcare sector

To strengthen control and prevention in the dispensing of medicines, some countries have begun to implement biometric technologies biometric technologies at delivery points for high-cost treatments. This measure seeks to prevent identity theft through the use of biometric verification systems, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, which ensure that only authorized patients can access their medication.

This approach also contributes to transparency in the administration of specialized treatments, protecting healthcare resources and prioritizing the well-being of patients.

The Government of Peru, through EsSaludthe Social Security administrator, has implemented a biometric control system in 75 hospitals that makes it possible to verify the identity of the insured from computers or cell phones. With the use of 494 biometric readers, accurate identification of patients has been achieved, preventing attempts to impersonate people who were trying to access high-cost medical treatments in the name of other users, the entity reported on its web site.

Facial biometrics revolutionizes digital identity verification

In talking with experts and reading about biometric verification, I have found six exceptional benefits for both patients and the healthcare system.

1. Patient authentication: Before dispensing medications, the health system can implement facial verification kiosks in pharmacies or distribution centers. When claiming their treatment, a camera captures the patient’s face and compares it with the biometric records stored in the system.
2. Prevention of impersonation: facial biometrics is unique and highly accurate, making it difficult for someone to impersonate another person to access expensive drugs. In addition, the systems can detect fraud attempts in real time if the image does not match stored records.
3. Secure assignment of prescriptions: Electronic prescriptions can be linked to the patient’s biometric profile. Thus, when a doctor prescribes a high-cost medication, the prescription is recorded in a central system and only the patient with verified facial identity can access it.
4. Multi-point validationthanks to its linkage with a digital system, the prescription can be verified at various points in the distribution chain, from the pharmacy to the hospital, ensuring that the medication is only delivered to the authorized person and avoiding possible counterfeiting.
5. Traceability with facial biometricsTraceability systems enable the complete tracking of a high-cost drug, from its manufacture to its final delivery. Integrating facial biometrics into these systems ensures that the patient’s identity is accurately verified at each point in the chain.
6. Home deliveryFor patients receiving high-cost medications at home, delivery drivers can use mobile devices with cameras to perform biometric verification prior to delivery.

It is crucial that the implementation of facial biometrics in the delivery of medicines complies with local personal data protection regulations, such as the Law 1581 of 2012 in Colombiawhich protects the privacy of individuals. Because biometric data is highly sensitive, it must be managed and stored securely.

Therefore, it is necessary to apply encryption protocols and cybersecurity mechanisms to prevent any leakage of biometric information.

In an interview with the newspaper El Tiempo , the Executive Director of the Chamber of Medical Devices and Health Supplies of Andi He highlighted the use of biometric systems in patient admission, electronic prescription of controlled substances, and the analysis of causes and frequencies of cancer in specific populations. “Currently, there are new developments in the healthcare field that are experiencing rapid growth, driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. These innovations are focused on developing safer, more effective, and more accessible systems for patients,” he pointed out.

From this case we are left with the fact that, finally, in 2022, the former CEO of Theranos, known at the time as “the new Steve Jobs,” was sentenced to 11 years in prison for million-dollar fraud. The protection of users’ personal and medical data is a serious matter. Today, more than ever, it is crucial to implement robust and innovative technologies that strengthen patient confidence and allow the healthcare system to avoid millions in losses due to fraud.