Microsoft's bid for Yahoo `unnerving': Google cofounder

Google Inc cofounder Sergey Brin called Microsoft Corp's takeover bid for Yahoo Inc an "unnerving" maneuver that would threaten innovation on the Internet.

Brin his company's position that a merger could violate antitrust laws and harm Internet users.

Brin the comment after an event at the Mountain View, California-based firm's headquarters for the Google Lunar X Prize, a race to land a privately funded robotic spacecraft on the moon.

"The Internet has evolved from open standards, having a diversity of companies," Brin said after the event. "And when you start to have companies that control the operating system, control the browsers, they really tie up the top Web sites and can be used to manipulate stuff in various ways. I think that's unnerving."

Meanwhile, a US medical clinic revealed on Thursday that it is helping Google test an online health record service intended to compete with one launched last year by Microsoft.

Cleveland Clinic in the state of Ohio said it plans to enroll up to 10,000 patients in an invitation-only private pilot project in collaboration Google.

The Google Health service is crafted to let patients use the Internet to efficiently and privately share their medical information with various health care providers and pharmacies, the clinic said.

Google Cleveland Clinic because it already lets patients manage electronic medical records online.

"The partnership with Google is an example of true innovation in health care," said clinic chief executive Delos Cosgrove, who is a member of Google's Health Advisory Council.

The collaboration will let Google test software tools built to allow patients to securely exchange medical information such as prescriptions, allergies and illnesses with health care providers, the clinic said.