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Apple’s efforts to usher in a new era of medical research through its ResearchKit tool has already encouraged thousands of iPhone users to submit their data to a Stanford University study.
Bloomberg reports (via Engadget) 11,000 people had agreed for their Health data to be submitted for use in a cardiovascular study, just 24 hours after Apple announced the scheme at its Spring Forward event.
Stanford Cardiovascular Health medical director Alan Yeung said: “To get 10,000 people enrolled in a medical study normally, it would take a year and 50 medical centers around the country. That’s the power of the phone.”
The data collected by the Stanford researchers could potentially be more reliable than previous studies as the iPhone autonomously collects all of the information and doesn’t give participants the opportunity to lie.
The idea of ResearchKit is to enable the advance of research into life threatening diseases just through the movement and GPS data generated by Apple’s Health platform.
The plan, which was heralded by Apple-friendly medical professions as a huge breakthrough for research hasn’t been universally welcomed. Many are expressing concerns over user privacy and the safety of the data harnessed for research.
Related: What is HealthKit? How will the iPhone get you fit
There has also been suggestions the scheme may offer skewed data due to the socioeconomic factors associated with iPhone ownership.
Would you be willing to part with your movement data in order to benefit medical science? Or are you worried about where your private information may end up? Let us know your thoughts below.
