Some of the data to be shared will specifically address associated coronavirus risk factors, symptoms and prognoses, in order to generate better scientific hypotheses via a large-scale and standardized dataset on patients to aid in more accurate statistical results.
The international consortium, called the Secure Collective Research (SCOR), was established in a bid to deploy the next-generation distributed infrastructure and means for the secure sharing of data, analyses, and mining data.
Given the fast-past process and constant influx of new data from around the world, the importance of securing data storage and transfers efficiently is essential during the coronavirus pandemic.
As noted in the press release, "the approach proposed by SCOR is the only one that (i) provides operational continuity for the long run, as it relies on a fully automated software platform for distributed data sharing, (ii) has an international scope, and (iii) provides the best data privacy/utility trade-offs, as it enables both cohort exploration and distributed analytics under strong privacy guarantees."
It adds that storage and data transfers will be done with encryption techniques, providing additional security and eliminating the need for external security assurances, given the sensitive nature of coronavirus data.