The introduction of Apple’s ResearchKit is our top story of the year. Mobile apps and the increasing ability to take measurements of vital signs, gather information on habits and collect other phenotypic measures is rapidly changing thinking about clinical trials design.

Watson opens supplement ingredient database; FTC shuts down melanoma app marketer; Amway’s Nutrilite wins halal award; more news in brief.

Watson opens supplement ingredient database; FTC shuts down melanoma app marketer; Amway’s Nutrilite wins halal award; more news in brief.

Recent reports questioning the benefits of early prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment have raised an industry-wide debate that has been fueled by the limitations of prostate-specific antigen tests, currently the standard of care for early prostate cancer detection. While the industry searches to improve the use of PSA tests, urologists are asking, "are we over treating our patients?" That question was repeatedly voiced in a number of forums at the American Urological Association's 2010 Annual Meeting. As for a definitive answer to the question, it is a somewhat difficult task to get individual physicians to admit they are personally over treating patients; however, there is definitely a consensus-and a concern-that more patients than necessary are receiving treatments that put them at risk of serious side effects.