Blockchain and Clinical Trials for Health Informatics

Abstract

Blockchain is part of the disruptive novel technology stemming from the cryptocurrency and bitcoin, which became large-scale around the year 2011. Subsequently, these technologies have triggered much need attention through the development and growth of more novel cryptocurrencies resulting in transactions, elections, peer reviews, democratic decision-making, identification and audit trails. The health sector has benefited immensely from the rapid advancement in blockchain, such as growth in biomedical research, drug traceability in the pharmaceutical sector, clinical trials, biological testing, patient’s data management, health informatics, data sharing, supply chain management of medical goods, legal medicine, telemedicine, health record, remote patient monitoring, payment services and security. Thus, this chapter will give a general overview of the principles, and applications of blockchain in healthcare industries and possible challenges with ways to resolve them.