The FDA has approved an Apple Watch app for Parkinson’s disease

Your Apple Watch can already help monitor a variety of ailments. Now, it looks like Parkinson’s disease monitoring is coming, as well.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an Apple Watch app to monitor those with Parkinson’s. Developed by startup Rune Labs, the app works to compile data on patients’ symptoms to share with physicians.

This data, in tandem with other information gleaned from other apps, can be used to better understand individual patients. The app would act as another source to help doctors observe those with Parkinson’s.

In short, it would give those with the disease a way to be monitored without constant visits to see their physician. And as we all know, the easier something is, the more you’re likely to do it.

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Apple’s ResearchKit framework allowed developers to use the Apple Watch for Parkinson’s disease monitoring as early as 2015.

It wasn’t until three years ago, however, that Apple added the Movement Disorder API to ResearchKit. It can detect both tremors and dyskinesia, which both stem from Parkinson’s medications.

Given the somewhat unpredictable nature of Parkinson’s disease symptoms, this new app will be a useful tool. As not all individuals with Parkinson’s disease share the same ailments or problems, it should allow doctors a peek into their patients’ overall picture of health from afar.

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