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Apple is launching three health studies in conjunction with its new Research app, available to download now from the App Store.
Enroll now to contribute to potentially groundbreaking medical discoveries: All you need is an iPhone or Apple Watch, a pulse, and, in one case, a menstrual cycle.
Conducted in partnership with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the Women’s Health Study focuses on how women’s periods relate to their overall health.
In what Apple claims is the “first long-term study of this scale and scope,” the study will use iDevices to collect data like cycle tracking information, and use monthly surveys to understand each participant’s unique menstrual experience.
Sounds like a blast.
“Treating the menstrual cycle as a vital sign, such as heart rate or blood pressure, could lead to the earlier detection of many health conditions, both gynecological and systemic, as well as a better understanding of women’s reproductive health and health needs overall,” according to study researcher Shruthi Mahalingaiah, an assistant professor at Harvard Chan School.
“We are uniquely poised to translate this data into discovery that will lead to better awareness and empowerment around women’s health issues on a global scale,” she said in a statement.
The Research app only shares data when a user approves, and includes a detailed consent for each study that allows a user to control the type of data shared. (Photo Credit: Apple)
If the female reproductive system isn’t your thing, you can sign up for Apple’s Heart and Movement Study, which measures the quality and quantity of a person’s movement, or the Apple Hearing Study, set to explore how headphone usage and environmental sound exposure can impact hearing over time.
“In the past it’s been very difficult to quantify behavioral factors. With data from smartphones and wearable devices, we can eventually measure these factors unobtrusively over long periods of time,” analyst Jukka-Pekka Onnela, associate professor at Harvard Chan School, said.
“This is scientifically incredibly exciting,” he continued. “And I believe that this research will enable more effective and more personalized interventions in the future.”
With regards to privacy, Apple emphasized the promise that user data will not be sold. You decide which studies to join and when to leave, and control what types of information are shared.
Studies must inform participants how their data supports the research.
“[This] marks an important moment as we embark on research initiatives that may offer incredible learnings in areas long sought after by the medical community,” Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said.
“Participants on the Research app,” he explained, “have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact that could lead to new discoveries and help millions lead healthier lives.”
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