Apple working on ResearchKit apps to study genetic data

Apple has collaborated with researchers for two different ResearchKit apps that will collect and study genetic data.

According to the Verge, Apple will not collect any of the samples or have access to the results, but Apple's ResearchKit software will guide the process and coordinate subjects across studies. Apple is planning to announce the studies at WWDC in June, reported Technology Review.

The DNA test seems to involve a simple spit test covering the most portions of the subject's genome. Doctors will perform all the ResearchKit tests and will be subject to approval from internal ethics review boards. It is also expected that ResearchKit will eventually enable sharing between studies allowing a user who has been tested once to enter a new study without a second round of spit.

Researchers are concerned with ResearchKit as a sample-gathering tool because of the inherent bias in relying on subjects with iPhones. Sharing data could make that selection bias even stronger as researchers come to rely on the easily accessible pool of subjects that are available through Apple's tools.

However, this will provide easy access to many researchers looking for an alternative to conventional methods of finding subjects.