Apple, further continuing its push into healthcare, has introduced three new medical studies with the core aim to reach more participants who will ultimately “contribute to potential medical discoveries and help create the next generation of innovative health products.”
During the tech giant’s Sept. 10 iPhone 11 event in California, Apple announced that it will be partnering with multiple academic and research institutions on studies that will be available on the new Research app, which officials say democratizes how medical research is conducted by bringing together various healthcare organizations with already existing Apple products. The Research app will be available as a free download in the App Store later this year.
The three new studies are:
- Apple Women’s Health Study: In partnership with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Apple has created a long-term study of this scale focused on menstrual cycles and gynecological conditions. This study will inform screening and risk assessment of conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility, osteoporosis, pregnancy and menopausal transition. “Women make up half of the world’s population, yet even today there has been limited investment in studying their unique health needs,” said Michelle A. Williams, a reproductive epidemiologist and dean of the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School. “This study, unprecedented in scope, will greatly advance our understanding of the biological and social determinants of women’s health, and lead to better health outcomes.”
- Apple Heart and Movement Study: Apple is partnering with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association on a comprehensive study of how heart rate and mobility signals—such as walking pace and flights of stairs climbed—relate to hospitalizations, falls, heart health and quality of life in order to promote healthy movement and improved cardiovascular health.
- Apple Hearing Study: Alongside the University of Michigan, Apple is examining factors that impact hearing health. The Apple Hearing Health Study is the first of its kind to collect data over time in order to understand how everyday sound exposure can impact hearing. The study data will also be shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a contribution toward its Make Listening Safe initiative.
Earlier this year, Apple released the results of its Heart Study, in conjunction with Stanford University School of Medicine, that set out to explore if a mobile app that uses data from a heart-rate pulse sensor on the Apple Watch can identify atrial fibrillation (AFib)—a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. The study of more than 400,000 participants has revealed that the Apple Watch could detect AFib, which is a leading cause of stroke and hospitalization in the U.S.
“With the Apple Heart Study, we found that we could positively impact medical research in ways that help patients today and that make contributions that will benefit future generations,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer said in a statement this week. “Today’s announcement carries our commitment to health even further by engaging with participants on a larger scale than ever before.”
