How Blockchain is Being Used to Discover New Treatments in Healthcare

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry as it offers new ways to securely and efficiently store medical data. One of the most promising applications of blockchain technology in healthcare is its use in discovering new treatments.

Electronic Health Records

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are records of patients' medical histories that contain information about their diagnoses, treatments and prescription drugs. EHRs are typically stored on centralized servers which can be vulnerable to hacking. Blockchain technology allows EHRs to be stored in a decentralized manner which can help prevent fraudulent activities, duplication of medical records and unauthorized access to medical data.

Clinical Trials

Blockchain technology can also be used to improve the efficiency of clinical trials. Currently, clinical trial data is often siloed, which means that different groups of researchers collect their own data, which can lead to redundancies, inconsistencies and lack of standardization. By using blockchain, data can be stored in a decentralized and standardized way, improving efficiency and collaboration among researchers.

Drug Development

Blockchain can also be used to improve drug development by making it easier to track the origin of drugs, which can help prevent fraud by ensuring that drugs are not counterfeit or stolen. Additionally, blockchain can provide a secure and immutable record of drug development, which can help researchers identify which drugs have worked in the past, and which drugs have not.

Data Privacy

Blockchain technology can also be used to enhance patient privacy by giving control of their medical data back to patients. Patients would be able to choose who has access to their medical records, and would be able to revoke access at any time. Additionally, by using Blockchain technology, it would be nearly impossible for data breaches to occur as patient data would be stored in a decentralized manner.