Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases using Digital Biomarkers

by Pedro Vergara, March 19, 2025

Widespread digitalization, and the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare are enabling the implementation of ever more sophisticated tools in the diagnosis and treatment of, and research into, diseases, as is the case with Digital Biomarkers.

Digital Biomarkers are objective and quantifiable biological measurements that are obtained using digital technologies like smartphones, wearables, sensors, and other devices that enable the collection of patient information in a simple way, without effort on the part of the patient, and outside of the hospital environment. These data complement the patient’s clinical information obtained from tests and medical visits, providing a broader view of his or her status and disease.

As noted in the publication, “Walk, talk, think, see and feel: harnessing the power of digital biomarkers in healthcare”, Digital Biomarkers from various sources can provide the following information:

- Physical functioning: The way in which we walk provides a lot of information, and can be an indicator of various medical conditions. These data can be obtained from wearables and some types of sensors.
- Voice and speech: Tone, timbre, and velocity can be used to assess physical state (like respiratory function and neuromuscular changes), emotional state, and the cognitive functioning of the person. This information can be gathered from smartphones, which 97.8% of the population uses today, so voice and speech become an easily collected and accessed Digital Biomarker for most patients.
- Cognitive functioning: This information is obtained from the interaction between the person and technological equipment, and is useful for neurological evaluation of the patient.
- Visual: Using a camera, information can be collected about ocular movement, gaze, fixation, and visual attention, which can help in the diagnosis and monitoring of certain conditions and diseases.
- Symptoms and mood: Information can be obtained about health status and emotional state of a person using wearables that monitor cardiac frequency, skin conductivity, or body temperature, etc.

In this way, the collection and inclusion of these markers in the management of diseases enables the compilation of a more complete and objective view of the general status of the patient and the progression of his or her disease, offering numerous benefits and significant potential for healthcare professionals and patients.

Digital Biomarkers provide supportive information for the prevention and diagnosis of diseases, helping healthcare professionals to identify potential cases and respond more quickly to people with a higher risk of developing a disease. In addition, through remote monitoring of patients, providers are aware of the patient’s situation in real time, enabling intervention when necessary, as well as the adaptation of treatment as a result of the collected data. As a result, this reduces the number of unnecessary hospital visits. Finally, their use in clinical trials supports the development of decentralized clinical trials, the collection of more exact and patient-centered metrics, and reduces the costs associated with the clinical trial.

As we have seen, the use of Digital Biomarkers through Digital Health platforms offers a lot of potential, as this enables continuous monitoring of the patient’s health status in a simple way and, often, without having to request a specific action by the patient. This helps the provider to make diagnoses in a timely way, and detect complications quickly, acting at the appropriate time and improving the patient’s health and quality of life. This is only the beginning, as the application of these markers in the healthcare environment through technology and AI can create new ways to understand and treat diseases, promoting medical care that is more personalized and patient centered.