Book Volume 1
Preface
Page: ii-v (4)
Author: Nilayam Kumar Kamila, Sujata Dash and Subhendu Kumar Pani
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010002
Utilizing Blockchain Technology to Improve Clinical Trials
Page: 1-33 (33)
Author: Sakthi Kumaresh*, Neha Sharma and Krishna Balu Priya Iyer
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010004
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The development of new drugs by pharmaceutical companies becomes a
challenging task as it takes longer timelines, and the clinical trial process involved
before the introduction of any new drug is risky and highly unpredictable. The patient
data available for the clinical trial process is distributed across several databases, and
the data are stored in different formats; hence it becomes difficult to perform clinical
trials. Many stakeholders (pharmaceutical companies, research labs, patients,
participants, government authorities, and many more) across geography are involved in
the clinical trial process. Cooperation among these stakeholders is necessary to conduct
a clinical trial. A Clinical trial is a complex and time-consuming procedure that faces a
constant challenge of data management, data sharing, and data security, resulting in
being an expensive affair.
Blockchain technology can be used to augment the entire workflow of clinical trials
and overcome the mentioned challenges. It uses consensus protocol for efficient
transmission and communication of data between nodes. Patient recruitment for clinical
trials can be easily managed through “Smart contracts”. Any computational problem
related to patient recruitment for a clinical trial, checking the validity of clinical trials,
can be coded with smart contracts. This paper describes the utilization of blockchain to
collect and store patient data and analysis results in a distributed yet secured manner,
which can be shared in a transparent way and remain immutable as well as allows to
tackle the challenges involved in the clinical trial process.
Securing Clinical Trials Data with Blockchain
Page: 34-53 (20)
Author: Payal Saluja*
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010005
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Discovering and developing new drugs/ medicines is very crucial for the
pharmaceutical industry. The increasing number of drugs approved in recent years
demonstrates the impact of modern drug discovery approaches, digital technologies,
and automated drug development methodologies. Drug development is a systematic
and methodological process of developing a new pharmaceutical drug once the process
of Drug discovery has identified the prime pharmacological component. The structured
sequence of steps followed for drug development aims to ensure the safety and efficacy
of the drug being developed. It includes pre-clinical research on microorganisms and
animals, preparation of detailed data with respect to pharmacology, pharmacokinetics
and toxicology details, application and approval by regulatory authorities and
conduction of clinical trials. The conduction of clinical trials is an expensive affair as it
needs a collaborative effort by multiple stakeholders along with a high level of
monitoring and regulation. The data generated during the lifecycle of clinical trials is
very critical for pharmacological scientific publications, regulatory approval for the
target drug and post-marketing surveillance that ultimately leads to the development of
better decision support systems for drug development. Hence, the data integrity of such
data is of prime importance. Several Clinical data management (CDM) systems have
been developed to ensure seamless collection and management of clinical trial data.
These CDM systems enable useful analysis and decisions supported by authentic data.
However, such systems face several security challenges with respect to privacy,
integrity and authenticity of the clinical data. Another major challenge in conducting
the clinical trials is finding the appropriate willing candidate who is physically and
clinically suitable for the study. In view of the above, it is highly desirable to have a
technology component that can address the above-mentioned issues. In this chapter, the
technologies like blockchain and cloud computing have been introduced to address the
challenges posed by clinical trial data management. The paper also proposes a
blockchain based secure clinical data management system. The proposed system
intends to help the data security issues like data integrity, privacy, ease and quick
access to immutable clinical trial data with thorough access control enabling greater
transparency and accountability.
A Complete Review of Block Chain Technology in the Health Sector
Page: 54-76 (23)
Author: Sourav Kumar Giri and Sujata Dash*
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010006
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The health sector has been a huge market in recent times. It is drawing
minute attention regarding pathological tests, drug manufacturing and supply, clinical
trials and diagnosis by doctors and finally, recovery of patients quickly. The
technologies used in health care for the last decades are redundant. Clinical trials and
diagnoses by doctors can be made more accurate, better and faster with a past medical
history of the patient in hand. Drug manufacturing and distribution can be made
tampered proof and monitored properly by designing a transparent supply management
system for medicine and medical goods. Attempts were made in the past to record the
medical history of patients in a centralized database server, which lacks security,
immutability and consistency of the records. This paper reports a systematic review of
the application of revolutionary and disruptive Blockchain technology in healthcare
systems to address the above issues. Blockchain technology can be used to create
cryptographically immutable, time-stamped, distributed and tamper-proof ledger in a
distributed P2P network to maintain Electronic Health Records (EHR) in the health
care system. This technology removes all intermediaries between the source and
destination point of any transaction. In a Blockchain network, transactions are
cryptographically connected and hence merely difficult to modify the content of any
transaction. This review shows that a number of studies in the past have proposed the
application of Blockchain in health care. However, many of these used cases lack
detailed prototypes and consensus algorithms from an implementation point of view.
The review also highlights and depicts in detail the application of Blockchain in EHR
and medicine supply management systems. The review further highlights the
bottleneck of Blockchain and the area of its research in the near future.
Blockchain and Clinical Trials for Health Informatics
Page: 77-92 (16)
Author: Charles O. Adetunji*, Olugbemi T. Olaniyan, Mayowa J. Adeniyi, Omosigho Omoruyi Pius, Shakira Ghazanfar, Wajya Ajmal and Olorunsola Adeyomoye
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010007
PDF Price: $15
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.
Blockchain Technology: A Vehicle for Efficient and Comprehensive Medical Application Solutions
Page: 93-114 (22)
Author: Bhupesh Deka, Sujata Dash* and Abinash Panda
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010008
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Blockchain technology is the technology of the twenty-first century. Web
3.0 is the name given to the next digital revolution. It was first developed to provide a
secure payment mechanism, but it was later adapted and utilized in various industries.
Healthcare is one of the domains where this technology has been deployed in the last
few years and has yielded considerable results. The fast adoption of digital technology
in the clinical sector has led to the construction of massive health records. As a result of
this growth, there are never-before-seen requirements for clinical information security
throughout usage and exchange. This adoption of the blockchain method as a
reasonable and effective data storage and handling platform is opening up new
opportunities in healthcare for tackling key data privacy, security, and integrity issues.
Patients and healthcare providers have difficulty accessing, storing, integrating, and
transmitting health information. Individuals are likely to access and control their
medical information from everywhere on the planet, process and report their clinical
findings, grant permissions, and even securely exchange that data with certain medical
professionals. Straightforward health information access and an even more complete
digital information architecture might help the medical industry better prepare for
public health threats like COVID-19. We will examine several of the numerous ways
that blockchain methodology has been employed in the clinical area, as well as its
prospective scopes and possibilities for a better tomorrow, in this research.
Blockchain: Blocking Hassles in Healthcare
Page: 115-128 (14)
Author: Jyoti Kukreja* and Ahmed Chowdhary
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010009
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Healthcare institutions around the world are increasingly reliant on digital
databases for the storage of medical data. The unprecedented growth of healthcare
data’s scale and velocity has made it of paramount concern for the modern age. Digital
databases are vulnerable and adversely affect both the patient and the healthcare
industry as a whole. The risk of cyber threats can breach data and disrupt its integrity.
Maintaining both data integrity and patient privacy is critical to healthcare
organizations. Regulatory frameworks such as GDPR in the EU and HIPAA in the US
are both bodies for compliance rules for maintaining healthcare data privacy.
Unfortunately, the tendency of healthcare institutions to use proprietary systems creates
isolated silos of data that become difficult to secure using traditional methods.
A blockchain-based method provides a novel way of securing electronic healthcare
records using a decentralized peer-to-peer based network on top of these isolated silos.
Each block contains information and links to the other, forming a collective chain. This
chain enables it to regulate on its own to store and share information instead of relying
on a centralized system. Blockchain has many potential use cases in healthcare
applications and can help in patient monitoring, storage, securing data, health
information exchange, and clinical trial management, among others. The principle of
decentralization and cryptography, at its core, will help transform the Healthcare
system by improving the accessibility and security of patient information for the
modern age.
Through a systematic review of literature on Blockchain and healthcare data, this paper
aims to explore the current application methods, challenges faced, open questions, data
standards, and compliance issues that are core to implementing a Blockchain-based
solution in the Healthcare industry. Further, the present study seeks to explore the
concerns and scope of the blockchain experts operating in the healthcare industry.
Advancing Health Research Data Analysis with Blockchain Technology
Page: 129-141 (13)
Author: Charles O. Adetunji*, Olugbemi T. Olaniyan, Mayowa J. Adeniyi, Omosigho Omoruyi Pius, Shakira Ghazanfar and Olorunsola Adeyomoye
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010010
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
It has been discovered that the storage problem of complex health records
and data has been addressed, but there were still several issues with data security
sharing with cloud technology. The decentralization attribute of blockchain will help in
solving the problem. In electronic health records, blockchain can assist in reducing data
sharing and interoperability in the industry by creating an overarching mechanism
connecting different personal forms. It can also mimic data sharing by directly bridging
the gap between owners and buyers. Therefore, this chapter will provide detailed
information on Advancing health research data analysis with blockchain.
Blockchain Technology as a Tool for Prediction and Prevention of the Spread of COVID-19
Page: 142-168 (27)
Author: Suchismita Swain, Kamalakanta Muduli* and Aezeden Mohamed
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010011
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Blockchain is predicted to greatly transform the conventional methods of
transacting between users, covering almost all sectors of the economy. While the
expectations of blockchain technology are high, the actual impacts and benefits are still
unclear, causing delays and skepticism in its adoption. As the coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) continues to affect the world, businesses and governments scramble for
answers in attempting to limit the impact of the pandemic. In order to assess the ability
of blockchain technology in its efforts to minimize the impact of the pandemic and
clearly define the challenges and prospects of blockchain, a structured literature review
of peer-reviewed articles on block chain’s implementation and adoption in supply chain
management, education, logistics and finance sectors was conducted. It is
recommended that block chain’s implementation and adoption is not limited to the
finance sector but can be applied in any sector, where it provides a decentralized
network in which information is accessible and personal privacy and security are
guaranteed. Therefore, the wider acceptance and implementation of blockchain in
selected sectors of the economy, especially in finance and supply chain management,
has proven that blockchain can be utilized by businesses, governments and health
professionals in the fight against the virus by transforming the challenges into
opportunities combined with the prominent essential enablers would fast track its wider
adoption.
Blockchain Technology: The Future of Decentralized Applications
Page: 169-187 (19)
Author: Sujata Dash* and Sourav Kumar Giri
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010012
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The advances in computer science & technology have gone to new levels.
The process of computational technology and ubiquitous computing is expanding
exponentially daily. The computer system & its related inventions have become an
integral part of our lives. People & services are migrating towards clouds and
decentralized platforms. Nowadays, commerce & finance on the Internet rely on trusted
third parties like banks to process electronic online payments. Though it fits well with
most transactions, it still suffers from the inherent weakness of trust-based models.
Blockchain Technology- the technology behind the cryptocurrency Bitcoin is buzzing a
lot nowadays to invent and witness the future of data storage & processing in an
efficient, decentralized, tamper-proof, and peer-to-peer (P2P) network. Nowadays, the
use of blockchain is not confined to crypto-currencies only. This revolutionary
technology is drawing its impact & use in many fields and applications. Primarily, a
blockchain network can be used for storing, sharing & transparently transferring data
without the intervention of third parties and other intermediaries. In a blockchain
network, blocks are added using a consensus algorithm & connected cryptographically.
Hence it is merely impossible to delete and modify the content of blocks stored in a
blockchain network. Other advantages of this technology include consistency, security,
transparency, distributed ledger, decentralized network, etc. This paper systematically
reviews the work accomplished by many researchers for the past 11 years. Specifically,
the application & impact of blockchain technology in various fields like cryptocurrencies, the health sector, e-governance, banking, finance, and food supply
management systems have been discussed, and a projection of a novel application of
the same technology has been proposed.
Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technologies for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications
Page: 188-202 (15)
Author: Olugbemi T. Olaniyan, Mayowa J. Adeniyi, Charles O. Adetunji*, Omosigho Omoruyi Pius, Shakira Ghazanfar, Wajya Ajmal and Olorunsola Adeyomoye
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010013
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The distributed ledger technology in the healthcare sector has been reported
to be very important in generating patient information for research, medication
adherence, management of several bedside information about patients, pharmaceutical
supply chain, and quality of care. Its application has been documented in the
biomedical domain and blockchain technology such as custom, IOTA, NEM, Gcoin,
JUICE, TenderMint, Multichain, Hyperledger Fabric, Ethereum, Bitcoin, as well as in
data integrity, data auditing, data provenance, data versioning, access control and non-repudiation. Therefore, this chapter will give an overview based on the applications of
Blockchain distributed ledger technologies for biomedical and healthcare systems.
Medical Imaging Systems Using Blockchain
Page: 203-213 (11)
Author: Olugbemi T. Olaniyan, Mayowa J. Adeniyi, Charles O. Adetunji*, Omosigho Omoruyi Pius, Shakira Ghazanfar, Wajya Ajmal, Sujata Dash and Olorunsola Adeyomoye
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010014
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
It has been discovered that in the old electronic health record platform, each
health service unit managed its health records, making sharing difficult on the different
medical platforms. However, it has been discovered that blockchain technology is a
panacea that makes it possible to enable medical service units that are based on
different platforms to share electronic health record data. However, one major
challenge with this approach is the difficulty in storing whole electronic health record
data in the blockchain, given the price and size of the blockchain. As a way out, cloud
computing was ticked as a potential solution. Cloud computing affords a unique
opportunity, including storage of scalability and availability. But again, the electronic
health record with cloud computing advantage may be susceptible to attacks because
sensitive data is transferred through a public channel. The task of sharing and
disseminating medical information and records electronically is inevitable as far as
medical management and treatment combination are concerned. Unfortunately, the old
cloud-based electronic medical record storage platform is hard to achieve data security
sharing. Given the tamper resistance and traceability, blockchain technology makes it
possible for highly sensitive health data to be shared. Therefore, this chapter intends to
provide detailed information on the application of medical imaging systems using
blockchain.
Effectiveness of Machine and Deep Learning for Blockchain Technology in Fraud Detection and Prevention
Page: 214-236 (23)
Author: Yogesh Kumar* and Surbhi Gupta
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010015
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Blockchain was formerly originated to prevent fraud in digital currency
exchanges. Blockchain refers to a collective decentralised ledger that is unaffected by
tinkering. It provides the confirmed contributor access to the store, views, and shares
the digital information in a situation that is rich in safety, which in turn supports the
development of trust, liability, and transparent business associations. Identity theft and
fraud safety are endless challenges for everyone in buying and selling. With each
novelty in security technology, hackers and fraudsters learn how to outsmart the
technology and breach these networks. The first section of the chapter describes the
structure of the blockchain, its framework, the pros and cons of combining these
technologies, and the role and importance of machine and deep learning algorithms in
fraud detection and prevention in the blockchain. The next section focuses on the
reported work, highlighting different researchers’ work for fraud detection and
prevention using Blockchain technology. The chapter’s final section comprises a
comparative analysis based on various performance parameters such as accuracy, the
area under the curve, confidence, true negative, false positive, and truly positive for a
different type of fraud detection using blockchain technology.
A Blockchain Approach for Health Care Sector to Prevent Fraudulent Activities in Medical Records
Page: 237-260 (24)
Author: Megha Jain*, Suresh Kaswan and Dhiraj Pandey
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010016
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems provide health information
about patients. Data security, integrity, and management of EHR are crucial problems.
Records can be modified and altered by different stockholders as the different users
may be using them in more than one form. Medical records management is a suitable
application for blockchain-enabled records that can be stored, tracked, and managed by
all the transactions to prevent fraudulent activities. A novel framework has been
presented here in the healthcare sector by using the blockchain concept. The major goal
of this article is to implement BlockChain for electronic health records (EHR), and its
decentralized approach eliminates the chance of a single point of failure, making the
system robust. The proposed work also covers the extensible problem faced by
BlockChain in common with the help of an off-chain repository of the data. The results
indicate that computing is much more secure and free from a scam than the traditional
health record system. Finally, the proposed approach suggests scenarios such as EHR
where the introduced approach should prove adequate.
Subject Index
Page: 261-266 (6)
Author: Nilayam Kumar Kamila, Sujata Dash and Subhendu Kumar Pani
DOI: 10.2174/9789815165197123010017
Introduction
This volume reviews cutting-edge innovations in blockchain technology that are propelling the healthcare industry into a new era of efficiency and security. It brings 14 reviews contributed by experts in blockchain and Web3 technologies into a single volume. Each contribution includes a summary for easy understanding and scientific references for advanced readers. Key Themes: Empowering Decentralized Healthcare: Learn about the future of decentralized healthcare, powered by blockchain, ensuring a seamless and patient-centric experience. Clinical Trials: Discover how blockchain is reshaping clinical trials, offering a glimpse into a future of optimized medical research. Data Security: Uncover the strategic use of blockchain in securing vital clinical trials data, ensuring confidentiality and integrity at every step. Blockchain-based Healthcare delivery: Delve into a comprehensive review of blockchain technology in the health sector, revealing its potential to transform healthcare systems with efficient and precise solutions. Predict, Prevent, and Protect: Understand how blockchain technology serves as a predictive tool, aiding in the prevention and control of the spread of COVID-19. This volume is a must-read for healthcare practitioners and administrators seeking to harness the power of blockchain in medicine and healthcare. It also provides information for researchers and business professionals who want to understand the innovative role of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector.