Rune Labs gets FDA clearance to use Apple Watch to track Parkinson's symptoms
The Rune Labs programme makes advantage of the Apple Watch's motion sensors, which can already identify when a person falls. Rune Labs Chief Executive Brian Pepin said that the Apple Watch data will be combined with data from other sources, including a Medtronic implant that can measure brain signals.
FollowRune Labs, located in San Francisco, announced on Monday that it has acquired FDA approval to use the Apple Watch to detect tremors and other typical symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.
The Rune Labs programme makes advantage of the Apple Watch's motion sensors, which can already identify when a person falls. Rune Labs Chief Executive Brian Pepin told Reuters in an interview the Apple Watch data will be combined with data from other sources, including a Medtronic implant that can measure brain signals.
According to Pepin, the Apple Watch will provide clinicians with a continual stream of observations over extended periods of time. "When you think about the process of bringing someone to their ideal therapy or combination of pharmaceuticals or devices, or even whether or not a patient could be a good fit for particular clinical trials, it's a really difficult decision to make when you only have a little information," Pepin said.
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The FDA authorization for Rune Labs is the first notable application of software tools announced by Apple in 2018 for evaluating movement disorders.
Apple scientists released a research in the journal Science Translational Medicine last year demonstrating that the gadget was excellent in monitoring Parkinson's symptoms. "It took approximately eight minutes for the team lead to get back to me and say, 'Hey, excellent, let's investigate this,'" Pepin said after contacting Apple about the tools.
Apple has collaborated with a number of different firms to utilise the Apple Watch as a health monitoring device, including a research with Johnson & Johnson to see if the watch may help reduce stroke risk.
Meanwhile, Apple unveiled WatchOS 9, the latest firmware for the Apple Watch, at the WWDC 2022 keynote last night. Along with WatchOS 9, Apple unveiled macOS Ventura, the latest edition of macOS for Apple Developer Program members. The public beta of watchOS 9 will be available next month, with the complete release set for autumn 2022, around the same time as the iPhone 14.
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With WatchOS 9, Apple has included new health and fitness capabilities, new watch faces, and an improved user experience. The AFib History option in WatchOS 9 allows users to track and monitor their atrial fibrillation over time. This will need individuals monitoring their hearts for aberrant signals over time, supporting medical practitioners in determining the best medicines and recommending lifestyle adjustments.
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