Makers of the Prevention circul+ wellness ring announce new initiatives to combat racial health disparities in the wearable health technology market, including additional studies and teaming up with Kelvin Boston, a financial wellness TV show host, to raise awareness about blood monitoring device’s inaccuracies for people of color.

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — BodiMetrics announced several new initiatives today that address health inequality in the wearable medical technology industry and increase multicultural communities’ awareness of the implicit racial bias in commercial pulse oximeters. Research published by several organizations, including the New England Journal of Medicine, has raised concerns about dangerous inaccuracies in pulse oximeters, devices that measure blood oxygen, when used by African Americans and other patients with darker skin tones. Other recent studies have also found that smartwatches and fitness bands are less effective at tracking the heart rate of people of color.

“BodiMetrics medical devices’ ability to deliver accurate data is the primary reason I decided to work with them,” said Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine at Yale University. “Most other popular fitness devices do not provide accurate medical information for all populations. BodiMetric’s Prevention circul+ ring does.”

BodiMetrics, makers of the Prevention circul+ wellness monitoring ring, previously published studies demonstrating that the Circul wellness rings provide accurate blood oxygen and heart rate readings for people of all skin tones. Now the company is taking further steps to promote health equity, including new research partnerships in the United Kingdom and Portugal to study skin sensitivity in sensors medical professionals can use to monitor health.

“Health inequality is a major issue. Our mission has always been to provide the very best data with our devices,” said Neil Friedman, BodiMetrics co-founder and COO. “We built the Prevention circul+ to work for everyone. And we will continue to form the right relationships within consumer circles and the greater medical community to bring our solutions where they are needed.”

In the United States, BodiMetrics recently formed a collaboration with Kelvin E. Boston, the best-selling financial author, entrepreneur, and host of Moneywise with Kelvin Boston, a multicultural financial wellness TV series. The collaboration will raise awareness about the Prevention circul+ for African American and multi-cultural consumers and healthcare providers through a new online marketing campaign, online healthcare marketplace, and sponsorship of the new Moneywise with Kelvin Boston TV series being produced for public TV stations and streaming platforms.

“The Prevention circul+ wellness ring is an empowering, affordable, and easy to use wellness ring,” said Kelvin Boston. “I’m excited about informing communities of color about BodiMetric’s circul+ ring because it can help reduce health disparities by giving everyone the power to accurately monitor vital health signs, sleep, and exercise regardless of their skin tone. Now everyone can use the power of digital health monitoring to help secure a longer and healthier life.”

Marilyn French Hubbard, Ph.D., President, and CEO of Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise: Change Agents, LLC and former Corporate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Henry Ford Health, explains why the BodiMetrics research and collaborations with Dr. Meir Kryger and Kelvin Boston matter. “CDC data reveals that many racial groups are at greater risk for illness, hospitalizations, and dying before their time from the Covid-19 viruses and other preventable diseases. BodiMetric studies and collaborative efforts are timely, welcomed, and needed to help address America’s health disparities.”