Apple introduced ResearchKit, an open-source software framework designed to benefit medical researchers, at its March 2015 Special Event on Monday. Using ResearchKit, researchers will be able to more easily design apps that allow patients to remotely consent to join clinical trials and provide data.
"Some researchers see patients only once a quarter, making it difficult to get a complete picture of their health," Apple said in its live event coverage. "Finding volunteers for medical studies has always been tough. And low participation can make understanding a disease more difficult."
ResearchKit hopes to address those problems by making it easier for researchers to recruit patients and, conversely, for patients to join clinical trials. This is especially important because there is a lack of women in phase III and IV clinical trials; the new system may encourage more women to participate.
Apple introduced ResearchKit, an open-source framework for researchers to design apps, at its March 2015 Special Event. Image courtesy of Apple.ResearchKit is expected to be fully available next month, although the first five apps, which target conditions such as breast cancer and asthma, are currently available in the App Store. The new framework will work with iPhones and Apple's pre-existing HealthKit, which already has 900 apps.
Apple announced ResearchKit at the same event where it detailed the features of its new Apple Watch. The presentation focused heavily on the ability of Apple Watch to help users lead a healthier lifestyle. For example, customized, weekly activity suggestions, called "Move goals," will be standard on the watch.
ResearchKit and the health features for the Apple Watch position Apple as a new, major player in the medical industry. With these announcements, Apple may now set trends that encourage a large portion of smartphone users to pay more attention to their overall health.
"To think that this device that you use to check your mail can be used to battle disease is simply amazing," Dr. Mike O'Reilly, vice president of medical technology at Apple, said in a video at the event.
