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Can your Apple Watch help you and your neurologist manage Parkinson's disease more precisely? In this episode of Live Parkinson's – Live an Exceptional Life, host Chris Kustanbauter sits down with Amy Gordon Franzen - CEO of Rune Labs to unpack StrivePD — the FDA-cleared app that's changing how people with Parkinson's track symptoms, share data with their care team, and take control of their disease.
Amy brings a rare dual perspective: a background in oncology precision medicine and a personal connection to Parkinson's after a genetic test revealed she carries the LRRK2 mutation. In this conversation, she explains why Parkinson's treatment has lagged behind cancer care's precision-medicine model — and how patient-generated data is starting to close that gap.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How StrivePD passively tracks tremor and dyskinesia minute-by-minute using the Apple Watch's FDA-cleared Movement Disorder API
- What Guardian, StrivePD's built-in AI tool, can (and can't) tell you about your symptoms — and how it uses only peer-reviewed data
- How monthly StrivePD reports help make the most of short neurologist appointments by giving doctors objective, longitudinal data
- The role of exercise intensity data (including insights from the SPARX3 clinical trial) in slowing Parkinson's progression
- How Rune Labs keeps your health data secure while still contributing to biopharma research and drug development
- What Rune Labs' partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation and the PD GENEration study means for genetic testing and future treatments
- How the app detects fall risk and freezing of gait, and flags high-risk zones before an incident happens
- Why non-motor symptoms — mood, sleep, anxiety, and Parkinson's-related psychosis — are just as important to track as tremor
- What's next for Rune Labs, including expansion into essential tremor, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, and an Android version currently in development
- How to get started with StrivePD for free, plus what the optional Guardian subscription includes
Whether you're newly diagnosed, a longtime caregiver, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping neurological care, this episode offers a practical, hopeful look at what's possible when patients, data, and doctors work together.
Resources mentioned:
- StrivePD app (free on iOS, Android in development) — strivepd.com
- Guardian AI subscription ($14.99/month, annual discount available)
- Parkinson's Foundation PD GENEration study
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your neurologist or movement disorder specialist before making changes to your care plan.
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Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only is not intended to treat or diagnose Parkinson's Disease. Please ensure that you are following the treatment plan developed by your doctor. Please ensure before starting anything new you get approval from your doctor. The information being provided is based on my own personal experiences and does not guarantee that it will benefit everyone.
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