Back in August 2020, Covid was at its peak. Countries were in lockdown, and people were prevented from visiting many public spaces. Vaccines had been touted by healthcare companies, but the first U.S. vaccine wouldn’t be administered until December of that year.
Even so, local legislatures and government groups were looking for ways to try and curb the spread of the disease while opening the country up. One solution, proposed by the Californian legislature, was to put citizens’ healthcare records on the blockchain.
It was proposed that the records would include details of whether the individual had or had previously had the coronavirus. They would also show whether they had received the vaccine, therefore enabling venues to allow or prevent access according to vaccination status.
The legislature argued that the move would enable the state to open certain venues, with limited access rights, and prevent the spread of the disease while enabling those that had been vaccinated to go out and visit certain areas.
Campaign groups, however, lobbied that the move was an infringement on civil rights. Adam Schwartz, senior staff attorney for the media digital rights group, Electronic Frontier Foundation, argued that it would mean private health records would be accessible to those without medical training.
He described it as a “troubling step” and further argued that it would discriminate against those who were unable to afford regular testing and that the nature of blockchain meant that false diagnoses could not be erased or ignored. The bill was never passed, following public backlash against the idea, but it did represent a possible innovative use of blockchain technology.
When most people think of blockchain, they think of cryptocurrencies: digital currencies, like Bitcoin, that can be sent and received via wallets and bought through cryptocurrency exchanges. But, at its heart, blockchain is a digital ledger, and many cryptocurrencies are used as a means of paying for the use of that blockchain’s ledger. It is anonymous, decentralized, secure, and, typically, private.
It is these features that have made crypto popular as a payment method within a number of industries, including gaming, gambling, shopping, and real estate. For example, Bitcoin casinos enable players to register without adding personal details, ensuring privacy and security. The blockchain framework also allows for a quick, often instant, transfer of funds, which is beneficial for crypto gambling and e-commerce transactions. Crypto can also be used to pay for travel or even buy cars, showing its growing usability in everyday life.
While the proposed Covid vaccine records never transpired, healthcare is one industry where blockchain is seeing development and utility. Patient records need to be accessible by physicians and medical professionals, but they should be kept private from other individuals and groups. Arika is a California-based company that offers blockchain technology for this purpose. The company’s system does not store any personal or healthcare data but it does verify information that can be sent between healthcare providers and patients. It is one of a growing number of companies using this innovative technology to benefit individuals.
It wasn’t until 2022 that California Governor, Gavin Newsom, struck down the proposed healthcare records, refusing to pass bill AB 2004. He initially came under fire from the cryptocurrency industry for refusing a cryptocurrency bill that would have brought more freedom to the industry and its use as an investment and payment tool. And, at the same time, he refused the idea of using blockchain to share Covid records as proposed at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
But, at the same time, he also moved forward with a bill that would allow the storage, sending, and receipt of private personal records including birth and marriage certificates. Under such a proposal, there would be no need for individuals to keep physical copies of these records. But, in the event that they needed to provide them, they would be able to share details on the blockchain network, making the process simpler and faster.
