Google Health Studies launched a new application for Android devices that seeks to promote clinical health research.
Google's new application, Google Health Studies, will allow users to collaborate as direct participants in research that are registered on the platform. This will facilitate the work of researchers through digital health reports, self-reporting of symptoms, and other data.
Jon Morgan, product manager at Google Health, and Paul Eastham, director of engineering at Google Research mentioned the following on the Google blog: With the new app, anyone with an Android phone can take part in health studies by answering survey questions and contributing relevant data. The app provides a platform for researchers to reach a large and diverse population so they can better understand human health, while providing the public with greater opportunities to contribute to medical research.”
They also reported that, during the development of the app, they focused on three principles: keeping user information secure, handling it responsibly, and putting participants in control. All information is encrypted and research data is stored securely.
The participants will be informed about how their data is used, as well as what kind of information and when it is used. Additionally, participants can also access the final results of the research when they become available.
Currently, the app includes research from Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. This is the first registered study, which will be available to adults in the United States and aims to identify how respiratory diseases such as influenza or COVID-19 differ according to risk factors (age, mobility, etc.). Through Google Health, volunteers will self-report their symptoms, preventive measures they take, COVID-19 or influenza test results.
Dr. John Brownstein, Harvard Medical School professor and director of innovation at Boston Children's Hospital, said of the importance of research in the current context, "With COVID-19 emerging alongside seasonal respiratory pathogens, more research is needed now than ever to develop more effective treatments and mitigation strategies.
“Google Health Studies provides people with a secure and easy way to take part in medical research, while letting discover novel epidemiological insights into respiratory diseases,” he concluded.
Google Health Studies represents a new link between the scientific community and clinical research participants or volunteers, through the use of mobile technologies and solutions in Digital Health.
