Australian fertility giant Genea has disclosed a cybersecurity incident that disrupted patient services and led to the potential access of sensitive medical information. The incident, confirmed by Genea in a statement on its website, has raised concerns about the security of patient data in the healthcare industry.

According to a report by Australia's national broadcaster ABC, Genea disclosed the incident after being contacted by ABC reporters about the cyberattack. The fertility giant subsequently engaged Porter Novelli, a public relations firm specializing in responding to cyberattacks and data breaches.

Lauren Clancy, representing Genea via Porter Novelli, confirmed the incident to TechCrunch, stating that the company is "urgently investigating" the cybersecurity incident. "As soon as we detected the incident, we took immediate steps to contain the incident and secure our systems," said the spokesperson. "We are working hard to ensure that there is minimal disruption to treatment being provided to our patients."

Genea's public statement revealed that the hacker behind the cyberattack "accessed Genea's data," but the company declined to specify what types of data were accessed. The incident has caused disruptions to Genea's services, including outages with its phone lines and the shutdown of its MyGenea app, which enables patients to track their cycle and view fertility data.

Genea collects patients' highly sensitive health information, including medical, nursing, and scientific information, as well as procedures and tests carried out at Genea or elsewhere. While it is unclear whether patients' sensitive medical data was accessed or taken, Genea has assured that it will communicate with any affected individuals if its investigation identifies evidence of personal information being impacted, consistent with its legal and regulatory obligations.

The incident has raised concerns about the security of patient data in the healthcare industry, particularly in light of the sensitive nature of the information collected by Genea. As the investigation continues, patients and industry experts alike will be watching closely to see how Genea responds to this incident and what measures it takes to prevent similar breaches in the future.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in the healthcare industry, where sensitive patient information is at stake. As the use of digital technologies continues to grow in healthcare, it is essential that providers like Genea prioritize the security and integrity of patient data.

Genea's response to the incident will be closely scrutinized, and the company's ability to contain the incident and protect patient data will be a key indicator of its commitment to patient privacy and security. As the investigation unfolds, TechCrunch will continue to provide updates on this developing story.