Known for its mobile telephone software, BlackBerry has now set its sights on revolutionizing the healthcare industry by building a platform for storing and sharing medical data. According to a press release, data could be inputted by patients, laboratories and Internet of Things (IoT) biometric devices, and then anonymized and shared with researchers.
The medical data will be exchanged in an ultra-secure manner by means of a blockchain digital ledger, which will be provided by ONEBIO, a startup located in Root in the canton of Lucerne. ONEBIO uses blockchain technology to allow individuals, pharmaceuticals, blood banks and health insurers to exchange information more securely.
BlackBerry will test the new platform with the Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children with a Rare Disease, which will explore how the blockchain solution could shorten the time to diagnosis. The Global Commission is co-chaired by Shire, an Irish biotech firm that also specializes in rare diseases.
