Apple and Other Smaller Companies Are Looking to Revolutionize the Way Clinical Studies are Conducted

The future of clinical research might see pen-and-paper data collection replaced by tablets. Using tablet-based methods for collecting data could help researchers in a number of fields do their jobs better, in fact, a number of studies have shown potential benefits of ditching the pen-and-paper, and switching to digital-based methods.

For example, using tablets instead of paper-based interviewing methods, for example, could save researchers up to 74 percent in the cost of conducting studies, and 46 percent in time investments, according to The Nature Conservancy. And a similar study done by Applied Clinical Research found that using remote, tablet-based methods for collecting data increased user engagement and participation, probably due to the fact that participants could choose to be involved in a clinical study even if they lived in rural areas or were otherwise unable to travel.

And various tech companies are jumping at the chance to pioneer the field. Apple, for example, has already developed and released ResearchKit, an open-source framework that allows developers to design apps for clinical studies and medical research. Using ResearchKit, researchers can easily enroll participants and conduct trials digitally and remotely.

And Apple seems to be pushing to improve ResearchKit. It was recently revealed that Cupertino hired Dr. Ricky Bloomfield, the former director of mobile strategy at Duke University. Bloomfield was also an early adopter of Apple’s ResearchKit and HealthKit frameworks, and was a crucial part of Duke becoming one of the first hospitals to implement Apple’s systems, according to MacRumors.

Cupertino did not comment on what Bloomfield’s role would be at the company, but a colleague confirmed that it was on Apple’s health team. And Bloomfield isn’t the only one. Since June, Apple has hired several other prominent doctors and medical researchers. That roster includes Dr. Stephen Friend, who co-founded Sage Bionetwork, a company that has helped build several ResearchKit apps.

Apple isn’t the only tech company trying to edge in on the field, either. One startup, Clinical Research IO, is also developing a system that could allow researchers to conduct tablet-based studies. Their Android app and website would allow researchers to “conduct visits on a tablet, design source online, manage and schedule subjects, and communicate with study monitors remotely,” according to a press release. Clinical Research IO doesn’t currently offer an iOS equivalent, and it’s unknown if such an app is in the planning stages.

Although there are some concerns with using tablet-based methods in clinical studies, the benefits could outweigh any potential downfalls. And the response from the medical community to Apple’s ResearchKit and Clinical Research IO seem to be fairly positive, as well.

It’s also rumored that Apple is working on an entirely new health-monitoring hardware developed by its Health team. And a device with that new technology could be released in 2017, according to AppleInsider.