The private genetics firm 23andMe has issued a fresh software module which enables results of its genetic research to be incorporated into iPhone apps using Apple’s ResearchKit platform.
Apple has revealed that both this module and the required documentation are available on GitHub, reports AppleInsider. Only the results of current 23andMe customers can be used in a medical study.
Indeed, there are various privacy safeguards in place for people whose results are used in ResearchKit apps. For example, the data can only be accessed by researchers when the concerned subjects have provided specific consent and not, via 23andMe settings, disconnected from the ResearchKit apps in use.
Furthermore, Apple claims that any uploaded data is anonymized and encrypted, while use of the new module is available only to studies approved by an institutional review board.
