Next-Gen Apple Watches Could Track Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease | Digit

The FDA has approved software to help affected individuals track their symptoms of Parkinson’s disease using their Apple Watch, according to the corporation behind the tool. It automatically tracks tremors and allows patients to report symptoms and medication usage by using the Apple Watch.

StrivePD was developed by the neurology firm Rune Labs. It allows clinicians to track their patient’s progress and any changes in symptoms caused by the neurological condition, which causes sensations and coordination difficulties. Patients do not have to try to remember those fluctuations thanks to passive data collection. It also contains a wealth of information on how Parkinson’s disease patients react to prescription meds.

“With all of the data we will collect and the patients we will reach through this clearance, we will make sure the right participants enrol in trials,” said Brian Pepin, CEO and founder of Rune Labs, in a statement. According to him, this will make tests more effective and deliver drugs to market faster.

Apple Watch detecting Parkinson’s?

Patients have been using the app for about a year, but the FDA approval means clinicians can bill patients for data from the watch and the findings can be used as clinical trial data on various Parkinson’s disease treatments, according to Stat News.

StrivePD makes use of Apple’s Movement Disorder API, which was launched in 2018 to allow independent researchers to access data on Parkinson’s disease tremors and involuntary movements. Other companies are using the movement disorder API to provide similar information to Parkinson’s patients.

Apple is not formally involved in the Rune Labs project, but the company did update its software to meet FDA requirements and wrote a letter of support as part of Rune Labs’ FDA application, according to Rune Labs spokesperson Elizabeth Eaton via email. Apple has also studied the Apple Watch and Parkinson’s disease. In 2021, Apple research teams published data demonstrating that the watch might track modifications in the impairment of Parkinson’s disease patients.