Covid-19: Wearable technology to help vaccine trial volunteers track fitness

Abu Dhabi - This is the first trial of its kind to feature wearable technology and will cover thousands of volunteers.

Volunteers of the Phase III clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccine will be offered a free wearable device that will track their fitness and health. It will help them self-monitor their daily heart and respiratory rate, sleep performance, recovery levels and measure other key biometrics during the trials.
This is the first trial of its kind to feature wearable technology and will cover thousands of volunteers. 
It comes following a tie-up between Abu Dhabi-based G42 Healthcare and Boston-based wearable technology firm - Whoop. 

The initiative ensures that volunteers who now join clinical trials at Adnec in Abu Dhabi and Al Qarain Centre in Sharjah, including those coming in for the second dose, can further enhance their volunteer journey by using the new wearable devices.
G42 Healthcare CEO Ashish Koshy said: "As a digital business, this new partnership is a logical extension of the highly-advanced AI and super computer solutions we are already using in the trials process. New volunteers will be invited to engage with the technology developed by Whoop that will enhance their individual volunteer experience."

"We believe that giving volunteers an opportunity to use the Whoop Strap 3.0 wearable device will reinforce their confidence in the trial by giving them the ability to check on several daily health data points. This will complement the world-class clinical expertise that the healthcare professionals in the UAE are providing to the volunteers and ensure their safety and well-being throughout the trials' process."

"Whoop is proud to partner with G42 Healthcare and participate in their innovative Phase III Covid-19 vaccine trial," said Will Ahmed, Whoop founder & CEO. "The continuous biometric monitoring offered by Whoop will help volunteers evaluate any changes to their health and help track their daily fitness levels. This partnership represents the future of healthcare: using continuous monitoring and artificial intelligence to better understand the effect of drugs, vaccines, and other treatments."
The trials began in Abu Dhabi on July 16 and are being managed by G42 Healthcare in partnership with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).  

reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Abu Dhabi