The internet search giant Google Inc. has finally launched its long-awaited Google Health (google.com/health), a product that will enable users to upload and store medical records from many sources and get relevant health information.

The announcement, made on Monday, expands upon Google’s initial notice in February, according to which the company had teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic to test the service with about 10,000 patients who already use the hospital’s online health records system.

According to Marissa Mayer, a Google vice president, patients can upload medical records from organizations, enter their own data and create their own profile, search for viable information on health conditions or ask for a second opinion on their diagnosis.

From the very beginning, a key concern of this new product involved privacy over user’s sensitive information. A series of privacy watchdog groups believe that Google already knows too much about the interests and habits of its users as its computers log their request and store their e-mail discussions.

Shortly after Google announced its health program, Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, a San Diego non-profit public interest research group, expressed her concern over the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which governs medical privacy, but which might not cover information stored with Google.

Following these concerns, Roni Zeiger, Google product manager, highlighted the fact that “Google Health cares about privacy and puts it in the control of each user. The user decides who, if anyone, has access to her records,” he said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

As for the other concern regarding Google's possibility to use the medical information commercially, Google Representative Gabriel Stricker underlined back in March that Google would not share nor would sell users' information.

Google has also disclosed its partners in the electronic medical record service, which include Walgreens Pharmacy, CVS Caremark, the American Heart Association, Quest Diagnostics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Medco, Longs Drug Stores and the Cleveland Clinic. The list will soon include other names, as Google wants to ensure that its users have the broadest possible access to medical information, Mayer said. She also added that in Google Health, the company is not selling advertising. Instead, the site is designed to lure more users to all of Google’s services, leading to increased ad revenue.

Google Health comes with a number of features designed to help its users. For example, there is a link, which can help them find doctors by location or specialization. Moreover, users can be notified when they need to take medications or about possible drug interaction through another feature, named “virtual pillbox.”

Google sees its expansion into medical software business as logical and necessary, as millions of people access its search engine to find information about injuries, illnesses, and recommended treatments.

However, in the medical field, Google already faces competition. In October, Google’s biggest rival, Microsoft launched a new Web service aimed at helping people better manage their health information. Called HealthVault, the service is in its beta phase and according to Microsoft, it was created and designed to help people take control of their health records. The Web service has its own list of partner sites including the American Heart Association, CapMed, HealthMedia, Healthy Circles, Kryptiq, Peaksware, Pure Wellness,Sound Health Soultions, US Wellness, Podfitness, MyVitalStatistics, Limeade, and Active Health.