As Apple prepares to publicly launch the Apple Smartwatch one of the most interesting and innovative features will be the inclusion of the ResearchKit. The Apple ResearchKit is designed to assist researchers and scientists collect objective data to further their research goals and clinical trials. The ResearchKit is available on apple devices and the iphone the software includes pre loaded apps for breast cancer, Parkinson’s, asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
Lack Of Volunteers For Clinical Trials
Volunteers for clinical trials are a very much needed and wanted commodity. Clinical trials face many challenges in recruiting volunteers and volunteers are still recruited in the traditional style via letters, flyers, internet postings and word of mouth in the medical community.
The federal government does have a clinical trial data base at clinicaltrials.gov which is a voluntary listing of trials in the United States and throughout the world which are seeking volunteers.
Details, the type of trial, the administer of the trial, location parameters and trial dates are included in the listings. Researchers are excited with prospect of reaching more prospective volunteers in a larger geographic area which will yield vaster amounts of data.
How Will The Data Be Collected on the ResearchKit?
One of the reported benefits of the ResearchKit is the accessibility and ease of participation whether it be responding to a questionnaire to volunteer in a trial or participating in a trial with the assistance of a specific app. Apple has stated the information will remain private which is a condition of participating in the ResearchKit program. Another issue arising is that prospective participants, who may apply are aware of the parameters of the program or clinical trial and are willing to assume the risks.
Michael J. Fox FIAT App
Last year Intel and the Michael J. Fox Foundation partnered to test versions of the Fox Intel App (FIAT) and other wearable devices to assist in the research of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers are encouraged at the depth of information which can be gathered from a wearable device on a twenty four hour basis. Currently the Fox Trial Finder lists the active clinical trials which are recruiting volunteers to assist in their endeavor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92V5QcOTbFw&feature=player_detailpage
Recommended Reading:
Wearable Devices Help Parkinson’s Research
Leave a Reply