Why U.S. Cloud Providers Are a Risk for European Health Data Sovereignty

In a recent testimony before the French Senate, Microsoft's Head of Legal Affairs in France, Anton Carniaux, confirmed what many privacy advocates have long suspected: Microsoft cannot guarantee that the personal data of EU citizens stored on its European cloud servers will remain inaccessible to U.S. authorities. Due to the extraterritorial reach of the U.S. CLOUD Act, American companies are obligated to comply with legal demands from U.S. agencies, regardless of where the data is physically stored.

Previously, we have already covered the conflict between the EU and the US about data privacy laws. However, this admission has sparked a fresh wave of concern around the sovereignty of health data stored on U.S.-owned cloud infrastructure. For digital health platforms, public institutions, and insurers operating in Europe, the implications are far-reaching. At stake is not just legal compliance but also patient trust, data security, and institutional autonomy. Today, we explore the legal consequences of U.S. cloud dependence, detail key risks for health platforms operating under GDPR, and outline a safer alternative through jurisdictionally secure infrastructure built in Europe.

How Can Political Pressure Undermine the Security of EU Health Data?

The risks are not theoretical. In a widely reported case, the International Criminal Court (ICC) experienced the suspension of its Chief Prosecutor’s Microsoft-hosted email account following political pressure from the U.S. government. Although Microsoft maintains that the ICC was not directly targeted, the episode exposed how foreign political dynamics can override operational independence, even for international institutions.

This situation showcases a broader risk: if one of the world’s most protected legal bodies can be affected, then European healthcare institutions using U.S.-based cloud infrastructure are equally vulnerable. Legal instruments like executive orders or data requests under the CLOUD Act can instantly compromise access to, or control over, sensitive patient records. For platforms handling health data, this is not just a privacy issue; it’s a systemic risk to operational reliability and institutional trust. Get more information on health data compliance here! 

What This Means for European Health Data

Healthcare data is among the most sensitive categories of personal information, critical not only for individual privacy but also for public trust in digital health systems. The fact that U.S. authorities can legally access European-stored data via the CLOUD Act presents several pressing concerns:

• Lack of legal control: Simply storing data within the EU is not sufficient to shield it from foreign jurisdiction. U.S. companies remain bound by American legal obligations.
• Unseen risk exposure: Most users and many institutions are unaware of the legal frameworks that can enable secret data transfers to non-European authorities, undermining transparency.
• Regulatory contradiction: The CLOUD Act's provisions for secret access are fundamentally at odds with GDPR mandates for accountability and informed consent.

These issues have far-reaching implications for healthcare platforms, insurers, and digital therapeutics providers operating in Europe. They elevate compliance risks, undermine user confidence, and raise critical questions about institutional responsibility for data stewardship. For organizations handling clinical records, behavioral insights, or biometrics, safeguarding data means more than encryption or redundancy; it demands true legal control over who can access that data, under what conditions, and from which jurisdiction.

Are U.S.-Based Clouds Still a Safe Choice for European Healthcare?

For insurers, digital health platforms, and care providers, relying on U.S. infrastructure now carries real consequences. The combination of foreign legal exposure, non-transparent data access, and geopolitical dependencies creates significant risks that go beyond mere regulatory concerns.

Key reasons why European healthcare must reconsider U.S.-based clouds:

• Critical systems require resilient independence: Healthcare is essential public infrastructure. Relying on foreign-owned tech platforms opens the door to politically influenced service disruptions or access limitations.
• GDPR compliance cannot be optional: European data laws demand safeguards and transparency that U.S. vendors, subject to the CLOUD Act, are structurally unable to provide.
• Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose: In an era where data security defines brand credibility, any unauthorized access to sensitive health records can permanently damage patient trust and institutional reputation.

Rethinking infrastructure choices can be a very draining process to undergo on your own. Nevertheless, there are ways you can do it with maximum comfort and minimum stress. 

How Thryve Supports EU-First, Jurisdiction-Safe Healthcare Data Infrastructure

Healthcare data deserves legal protection that matches its clinical value. If you’re relying on U.S.-based infrastructure, it’s time to reconsider. At Thryve, we offer a health data platform that is explicitly built for the legal and regulatory demands of the European market. Our API is specifically designed to ensure:

• Seamless Device Integration: Easily connect over 500 other health monitoring devices to your platform, eliminating the need for multiple integrations.
• Standardized Biometric Models: Automatically harmonize biometric data streams, including heart rate, sleep metrics, skin temperature, activity levels, and HRV, making the data actionable and consistent across devices.
• GDPR-Compliant Infrastructure: Ensure full compliance with international privacy and security standards, including GDPR and HIPAA. All data is securely encrypted and managed according to the highest privacy requirements. 

Whether you're building digital platforms, remote patient monitoring apps, or insurance risk models, Thryve ensures your data strategy aligns with Europe’s highest legal and ethical standards.

Book a demo with Thryve to discover how our infrastructure keeps your health data compliant, secure, and under your control wherever your users are.