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Big Pharma Hands Out Fitbits To Collect Better Personal Data
An anonymous reader writes: Since the dawn of modern medicine, there have really only been two ways to know what a medical patient is doing: A) keep them around and monitor them, or B) ask them. The first is often impractical, and the second is fraught with misreporting. However, we're now in the age of data collection, and medical data is no exception. Pharmaceutical companies are gleefully passing out Fitbits and other wearables so they can more accurately test the drugs they make. Early trials have already found such devices to be better than human memory at reporting things like how much a patient walks. Other organizations are using movement data to algorithmically decide whether a patient needs a higher level of treatment. The article optimistically adds, "Down the line, wearables also could help pharmaceutical makers prove to insurance companies that their treatments are effective, thus reducing health costs."
How dare big EVIL Pharma collect accurate information that could ensure the safety of drugs and save people's lives!
It's an outrage!
Not just medical insurance companies. But that will come when wearing of these devices are made mandatory, probably an argument along the lines of "well only terrorists *wouldn't* wear them". Then following an accident anywhere (on the road, place of work, whatever) the insurance company will be able to analyse the data about your physical state prior to the incident to find a reason why they won't pay.
Wearing such devices wouldn't ever be mandated, you say? Sure they will, bribe... I mean lobby, enough politicians and it will happen.
People wouldn't willingly concede even more freedoms to wear these things, you say? Yeah... right.
The article optimistically adds, "Down the line, wearables also could help pharmaceutical makers prove to insurance companies that their treatments are effective, thus increasing health profits."
Fixed.