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Statements posted on this blog represent the views of individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Center for Law Science & Innovation (which does not take positions on policy issues) or of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law or Arizona State University.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Medical research may be in the process of opening a Pandora’s box with Apple‘s innovative assistance.  While most of the world has been obsessed with that other Apple announcement this week (think: watch), the medical community, patients, ethicists, and other interested parties have been weighing in on Apple’s new ResearchKit designed to let medical researchers create health apps to recruit and follow medical study participants.  What could possibly go wrong when all one must do to participate in a study is download an app, answer a few questions (including “yes” to the over 18 and living in the U.S. question) and pass an informed consent test (without the opportunity to ask questions – yet)?  In theory, it seems to be a great idea: if they have a swank iPhone, people in remote or typically under-represented areas may qualify and enroll, allowing for population diversity (at least in terms of geographic location and ethnicity, if not income), the less onerous process will encourage the number of participants to skyrocket (as has already happened with a Parkinson’s and cardiovascular health app) and we can all rest comfortably knowing that at least Apple won’t see the data collected.   However, as we can already envisage, plenty could possibly go wrong as suggested above and further outlined here.