Facebook has unveiled a ‘Preventive Health’ tool that allows users to get personalised reminders about health care tests and vaccines. Launched for its US audience, users can keep a track of their medical tests scheduled in the upcoming months and create a mark on it once the particular test is done. The tool will further help users to look out for affordable places for a medical check-up.
Taking to a blog post, Freddy Abnousi, Facebook's Head of Healthcare Research said, "Our initial focus is on the top two leading causes of death in the US: heart disease and cancer, (according to CDC) as well as the flu, a seasonal illness that affects millions each year." The American Cancer Society, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have together listed the resources on the tool.
Recommendations to users will be provided on the basis of their age and sex. "In the US, people can search for Preventive Health in the Facebook mobile app and find out which checkups, such as cholesterol tests or mammograms, are recommended by these health organisations based on the age and sex they provide," Abnousi said. Abonusi further said that users will get reminders to get their flu shots at the appropriate time of year. It would now show ads based on the information users provide in Preventive Health.
"Personal information about your activity in Preventive Health is not shared with third parties, such as health organisations or insurance companies, so it can't be used for purposes like insurance eligibility," Abnousi further added. Earlier, Facebook had rolled out a feature that allowed users to mark themselves as a blood donor.
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