Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain?: A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic

Moritz Platt; Anton Hasselgren; Juan Manuel Román-Belmonte; Marcela Tuler de Oliveira; Hortensia De la Corte-Rodríguez; Sílvia Delgado Olabarriaga; Emérito Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán; Tim Ken Mackey

doi:10.2196/26460

Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain? A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic

Moritz Platt, Anton Hasselgren, Juan Manuel Román-Belmonte, Marcela Tuler de Oliveira, Hortensia De la Corte-Rodríguez, Sílvia Delgado Olabarriaga, Emérito Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán, Tim Ken Mackey^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Informatics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.

Original language	English
Article number	e26460
Journal	JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Volume	7
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2196/26460
Publication status	Published - 6 Apr 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
Public Health
Blockchain
Distributed Ledger Technology
Mobile Applications
Pandemic Mitigation
Contact Tracing
Epidemiological Monitoring

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10.2196/26460Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Platt, M., Hasselgren, A., Román-Belmonte, J. M., Tuler de Oliveira, M., De la Corte-Rodríguez, H., Delgado Olabarriaga, S., Rodríguez-Merchán, E. C., & Mackey, T. K. (2021). Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain? A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 7(4), Article e26460. https://doi.org/10.2196/26460

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title = "Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain?: A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic",

abstract = "The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Public Health, Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technology, Mobile Applications, Pandemic Mitigation, Contact Tracing, Epidemiological Monitoring",

author = "Moritz Platt and Anton Hasselgren and Rom{\'a}n-Belmonte, {Juan Manuel} and {Tuler de Oliveira}, Marcela and {De la Corte-Rodr{\'i}guez}, Hortensia and {Delgado Olabarriaga}, S{\'i}lvia and Rodr{\'i}guez-Merch{\'a}n, {Em{\'e}rito Carlos} and Mackey, {Tim Ken}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was partly funded by the Advanced Secure Cloud Encrypted Platform for Internationally Orchestrated Solutions in Healthcare (ASCLEPIOS) project (grant 826093) via the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Funding Information: TM is an employee of S-3 Research LLC, which is a start-up company funded and currently supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, through a Small Business Innovation and Research contract for opioid-related social media research and technology commercialization. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 JMIR Publications Inc.. All right reserved. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

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Platt, M, Hasselgren, A, Román-Belmonte, JM, Tuler de Oliveira, M, De la Corte-Rodríguez, H, Delgado Olabarriaga, S, Rodríguez-Merchán, EC & Mackey, TK 2021, 'Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain? A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic', JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, vol. 7, no. 4, e26460. https://doi.org/10.2196/26460

Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain? A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic. / Platt, Moritz; Hasselgren, Anton; Román-Belmonte, Juan Manuel et al.
In: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, Vol. 7, No. 4, e26460, 06.04.2021.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

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AU - Rodríguez-Merchán, Emérito Carlos

AU - Mackey, Tim Ken

N1 - Funding Information: This work was partly funded by the Advanced Secure Cloud Encrypted Platform for Internationally Orchestrated Solutions in Healthcare (ASCLEPIOS) project (grant 826093) via the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Funding Information: TM is an employee of S-3 Research LLC, which is a start-up company funded and currently supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, through a Small Business Innovation and Research contract for opioid-related social media research and technology commercialization. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 JMIR Publications Inc.. All right reserved. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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N2 - The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.

AB - The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.

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KW - Public Health

KW - Blockchain

KW - Distributed Ledger Technology

KW - Mobile Applications

KW - Pandemic Mitigation

KW - Contact Tracing

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Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain? A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic

Abstract

Keywords

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