Blockchain-based Use Cases for Covid-19

In this section, we provide a comprehensive literature review on the prominent blockchain-based uses cases for combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Blockchain technology is capable of enhancing the healthcare sector in various areas which are affected by this outbreak including improvements to clinical trials, managing supply chain operations, tracking donations etc. The potential uses cases are summarized in Fig. 2.

Clinical Trial Management

Every product should be thoroughly tested to demonstrate its safety and efficiency as well as note possible side effects in a clinical trial, to bring new medications and medical devices into the market. Clinical Trials mainly take places in four phases out of which Phase III trials incorporate the greatest number of participants or patients making them challenging and resource-demanding. For clinical trials to operate efficiently, they require a management system which is fair and transparent. Besides taking care of the considerable amount of information collected from each phase, the clinical protocol should be cost-proficient, regulatory compliant, auditable, safe, fast and transparent to all stakeholders in the network . The use of digital technologies and innovations can help ensure the safety and privacy of participants while reducing trial timelines. In particular, blockchain technology can aid researchers and clinicians in recording clinical data in real-time. This improves accuracy, encourages data sharing and ensures regulatory compliance . It can also track and keep tally of who has accessed which part of the datasets thus creating an audit trail that improves privacy and data security .
Civitas, an app launched by a Canadian start-up that engages in blockchain solutions, assists various government officials and local authorities in controlling the COVID-19 outbreak. This app can be beneficial in managing clinical trials related to COVID-19 as it associates each person’s ID with its corresponding blockchain records anonymously without disclosing their identity. It can find out whether a person has left his home or not. This is essential as it helps in minimizing the spread of this virus. In addition, it can allow doctors to track the progress of their patients and monitor their symptoms for any side effects. In return, these doctors can send them their report with regards to the medication procedure that is to be followed.

Medical Supply Chain

The COVID-19 emergency has caused significant interruptions across worldwide supply chains. Two predominant factors that play a vicious job: numerous factories closed because of safety and hygienic concerns and there is an unparalleled demand for specific products, in particular, PPE and medical supplies. Many users are pressured to secure supplies from unknown origins or quality due to the increased demand. Lengthy supply chains cause excessive obscurity which makes it hard to calculate and plan supply. Blockchain is the best option for supply chains as it can connect all stakeholders into one supply chain network universal source while showing transparency and being able to securely break down data silos. Therefore, huge numbers of the blockchain arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic are in supply chain management . Blockchain accelerates the validation procedure by expelling third party delegates and innate delays in handling and processing operations. The advantages include quicker handling and processing time, reduced costs, lower operational risks, and faster settlements for all parties included. The VeChain platform is ensuring that new KN95 masks imported from China are credible and reliable while working inseparably with production offices and facilities . From codes to packages, materials, all tasks related to vaccine production are noted and kept in allocated ledgers.

User Privacy Protection

In these troublesome times, the balance must be obtained between data collection and privacy assurance. Blockchain can be utilized to collect and examine patient data more productively, screen patients’ movements to ensure the necessary social distancing requirements while protecting their identity simultaneously. There is no focal power and clients are given control of their information in a blockchain platform. They can specifically share data that is significant for coronavirus relief efforts while ensuring their privacy and identity remains protected. In addition to this, governments and healthcare associations can increase data collection through coronavirus tracking, while clients can be guaranteed that their data will not be exposed or shared. A group of privacy specialists across Europe devised a blockchain-based framework for COVID-19 contact tracing utilizing Bluetooth. Moreover, German tech scale-up MYNXG has made a blockchain-based arrangement that uses cell phones while safeguarding client security .

Data Aggregation

To effectively respond to the pandemic, a key territory of opportunity is in the assortment, accumulation, and access to information necessary for the tracking of the infection, deciphering trends and administering research. Blockchain provides the possibility of guaranteeing data accuracy by its capability to verify and store immutable real-time data. The framework of Blockchain acts as a base for new developing researches while permitting organizations and associations to share their information with innovators, scientists, and researchers to test and incorporate this information into new devices and solutions. Utilizing a blockchain-fueled platform empowers compliance management, data proprietorship, and auditability to grant flexible sharing all through different managerial levels. MiPasa, worldwide scale control and correspondence system controlled by blockchain innovation, which assists with gathering, collating, and studying data about the virus’s spread and containment was launched by WHO while collaborating with significant innovation organizations and governments. MiPasa is an asset that has expectations to help the public health officials, the scientific and business network, and people in general .

Contact Tracing

Contact tracing helps avoid the spread of a virus through pro-actively identifying, advising, and, where necessary, quarantining individuals who are at a higher risk than others. Using this tracing technique is useful and smartphones aid in making the system more effective only if privacy and other issues are addressed. Governments and healthcare organizations engage in contact tracing activities to monitor patients. However, using blockchain at every step increases the accuracy and reliability of data collected. Blockchain technology can monitor patient movements and offer updates related to affected areas in real-time. Furthermore, it can be used to detect virus-free zones to inform the public about safe areas. Remember that this information can be obtained from monitoring providers using a combination of technologies such as AI and geographical information systems (GIS). Blockchain can, therefore, offer practical approaches to protect populations from the spread of the virus by complying with quarantine standards.
Coalition is a free app in the US that users can monitor themselves if they are sick . Other users are notified of potential interactions with an infected person and are encouraged to provide proper health follow-up. The solution uses Bluetooth-enabled cryptography technology to track meetings and generate anonymous random IDs to protect the identity of the user with all data locally saved on a user’s phone. In Europe, Africa, and Asia, similar solutions were explored. Also, the Public Health Blockchain Consortium (PHBC) announced the launch of a blockchain for systematic tracking, continuous and adequate monitoring in virus-free zones to ensure that an infected person does not enter this area .

Donation Tracking

The pandemic situation has presented severe hardships to humanity, to alleviate the challenges several philanthropists have donated products and financial aid, the entire donation process that comprises of warehousing, logistics and distribution can be stored in the blockchain. Using this technology, the donor can verify the transfer process and receipt of donated money precisely and transparently. Consequently, blockchain will eliminate intermediaries, save costs, minimize donation exploitation and boost social cohesion. Motivating donation practices helps to aid people facing medical or economic difficulties due to the spread of infectious diseases . Hyperchain is a blockchain-based network that aims to counter the coronavirus outbreak by specializing in uniquely tracking donations . This platform assists governments and healthcare organizations in the donation process for infected victims. This network ensures the donation process remains unchangeable, efficient and traceable. It provides a transparent platform that allows donors to monitor where their funds were used. Through presenting proof of need and evidence of receipt, the blockchain charity platform ensures that the donations reach intended groups directly without intermediaries.

Outbreak Tracking

Blockchain removes the need for outsiders because of its decentralization feature, which can substantially reduce the occurrence of data modification and fictitious news and increase the reliability of information for the general population and experts in healthcare. Fraudulent data contributes to chaos and causes economic damage and psychological distress. Therefore, storing news and facts on a blockchain database prevents its modification and makes it traceable; thereby making it easier to avoid fake data and information. Blockchain technology provides a suitable coronavirus tracking platform as data handled through such a network is reliable, accurate, tamper-free and transparent. Consequently, governments can update better on the status of coronavirus pandemic for improved planning and management, such as forecasting the outbreak, isolating possible territories, and tracking the spread of the infection. Acoer has created a HashLog dashboard from an ever-growing set of public data that allows individuals to understand the extent of infection spread and pattern over time . Moreover, information collected from the CDC, WHO and even trends from social networking websites help the Acoer Coronavirus HashLog to make data visualization models associated with clinical trial data .
In this paper, we focus on using blockchain technology to prevent the spread of false information. This particular use case is important as there has been a sudden flood of various social platforms claiming misinformation. Thus, there is a need to authenticate and monitor this information. Also, it is vital to track the source of the message to identify users who are in engaged in spreading conspiracy theories, rumours, inflammatory remarks and fake news. Thus, it is highly recommended to use a public blockchain platform in validating the messages as it enables all users to digitally sign their message before it gets added to the blocks making it easier to identify the source of information.