BlackBerry announces blockchain platform for medical data

Enterprise software company BlackBerry has announced a blockchain-based platform for storing and sharing of medical data.

In its official release dated October 4, the former smartphone maker said that it seeks to create “an ultra-secure global ecosystem” for the healthcare industry. For this, BlackBerry has partnered with ONEBIO.

“The company will be using its renowned carrier-grade network operation center (NOC) to power a blockchain digital ledger, provided by ONEBIO,” BlackBerry said.

The solution would allow patients, laboratories, and IoT biometric devices to enter the data, which would then be anonymized so that it could be shared with researchers. The first organization to use the blockchain system will be the Global Commission, which is working towards ending the diagnostic odyssey for children with a rare disease.

“Co-chaired by Shire, the leading global biotech focused on rare diseases, one of the Global Commission's technology pilots will explore how BlackBerry's new solution might provide real-time, actionable analysis as the Commission seeks to use technology to shorten the time to diagnosis,” BlackBerry said.

The announcement was made alongside the launch of a new operating system for secure medical devices. BlackBerry introduced QNX OS for Medical 2.0 – a real-time operating system for the development of robotic surgical instruments, patient monitoring systems, infusion pumps, blood analysis systems, and other safety-critical products that must pass stringent regulatory approval.