FAQs

This virtual research study aims to identify signals from an Apple Watch or iPhone that could help measure changes in thinking and memory in adults, as well as identify longer-term changes in brain health. Some changes in brain health may occur normally as we age, while others could be an early indicator of certain forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. This study, therefore, may be an important step toward better understanding overall brain health. By participating in this study, you can contribute to a greater understanding of brain health – knowledge that has the potential to benefit you, your family, and your community in the future.

The study does not provide any diagnosis or treatment. To learn more, please review the terms of use of the Intuition app.

The study lasts up to 2 years. The total amount of time the activities will take throughout your time in the study is just over an hour a month.

You need an iPhone 8 (which was released in fall 2017) or later.

If you already own an Apple Watch, you’re welcome to continue using it for the study. A new Apple Watch SE will still be provided to you that you will be able to keep if you earn enough points from completing study activities. If you don’t earn enough points when your participation in the study ends, you’ll be asked to return the Apple Watch provided to you by the study.

No, it will not cost you anything to participate in this study. However, use of the Intuition app may use your iPhone’s data plan over the course of the study. You would be responsible for any costs you may incur as a result. You can decide to use the Intuition app only on Wi-Fi by managing the Intuition app settings, preventing it from using your data plan.

Over the course of the study, you will accumulate points for completion of study activities. If you do not complete a specific activity, you will not be rewarded the points associated with that activity. The points may be redeemed for gift cards (up to $280) or donated to charities available to you via the Intuition app. In addition to this compensation, if you accumulate enough points, you can keep the Apple Watch after your participation ends. The study has been designed so that if you consistently complete the study activities, like closing your Stand ring, answering survey questions, and other study activities, then you will be able to keep the Apple Watch.

No, being a participant in Intuition will not affect your medical care. Intuition is an observational research study which collects information about you, but there is no treatment or diagnosis provided by the study. For more information, please review the terms of use of the Intuition app, particularly the section which confirms that this website and the Intuition app do not provide medical or professional services advice.

A research study is a carefully designed study conducted in people to learn more about devices, conditions, or study treatments. An observational research study collects information about you, but there is no study treatment or diagnosis provided by the study. For more information, please review the terms of use of the Intuition app.

Participating in this research study is completely voluntary and you can withdraw from the study at any time. You do this by going into your profile in the app and clicking “withdraw from study.” Deleting the app from your iPhone will not withdraw you from the study.

If you are inactive for 90 days, you may be automatically withdrawn from the study.

In either case, if you haven’t earned enough points to keep the Apple Watch provided to you as part of the study, you will be asked to return it after you are withdrawn.

Biogen Inc., in collaboration with Apple, is investigating the role an Apple Watch and iPhone may be able to play in measuring changes in thinking and memory in adults, as well as identify longer-term changes in brain health.

If you have questions or would like additional information about this study, please contact us.

If you have a patient who is interested, you can encourage them to visit this website to learn more. You can also suggest they download the Intuition app from the App Store on their iPhone to start the enrollment process or send them information about the study by clicking here to visit the referral page. We are grateful for any referrals, as finding a diverse group of participants for the study is important to help us with our research.

The study is not intended to provide clinically interpretable feedback to participants. For more information, please review the terms of use of the Intuition app.

Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements for this study, you may participate.

We don’t currently require any traditional study sites or study site investigators. Intuition is a site-less study using technology that allows people to enroll and participate remotely.

After a participant completes an informed consent form and provides their permission to share data in the Intuition app, data will be collected through an Apple Watch, iPhone, and a personal computer or iPad. The types of data collected will include contact information, demographic data, Health app data, sensor and usage data from the iPhone and Apple Watch, information entered into the Intuition app such as survey responses, and the results of cognitive tests performed on a personal computer or iPad. Participants will be able to review the data fields that will be collected as part of the onboarding process in the Intuition app.

More information about what data is collected and how it may be used is described in the informed consent form, which can be accessed at any time from the Profile tab in the Intuition app.

Neither the devices nor the research study provides diagnosis or treatment.

We take your privacy seriously and have put in place measures to protect your data.

Access to your contact information and any other directly identifying information will be limited to those individuals who need access to administer and conduct the study, including for study monitoring and operations and to verify your identity. This may include the study staff and the study technology partner described in the informed consent form. The study support call center operated by the study partner described in the informed consent form will have access to your contact information and other directly identifying information in order to assist you with any questions about your participation. The Principal Investigator may have access to the information collected by the call center, including directly identifying information about you.

In general, your contact information and other directly identifying information (for example, full date of birth) will be separated from the rest of your study data and the directly identifying information will be replaced with a random code that is unique to you, but is not based on any information about you. This creates what we call coded study data. This coded study data is what will be used in all cases where access to directly identifying information is not required.

When required by law, legal process, or litigation, study data in identifiable form may also be made available to the IRB and to regulatory or government authorities, including law enforcement.

Biogen, Apple, and all study partners are committed to the confidentiality and security of your data and have put in place measures, consistent with standards used in healthcare and scientific research, to help reduce the risk of data loss or misuse. However, total confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. It is possible, for example, that there could be unauthorized access to or a breach of the systems where your data is stored, or that you could be identified from your coded study data.

Your data collected as part of the study will only be stored, used, and disclosed as described in the informed consent form that you will review and sign before joining the study.

For more details about how your data is stored and kept secure, and how it may be used by those who have access to it, please refer to the informed consent form – which can be accessed at any time from the Profile tab in the Intuition app – and to the Intuition privacy policy.

Data will be stored no longer than 10 years after the study is complete.