By DoM Communications | Date published: August 15, 2025
David McManus Discusses Benefits and Risks of Wearables to Track Health Metrics with ABC News
In June, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a campaign to encourage all Americans to use wearables to track their health metrics. Although the use of wearables can be beneficial, health professionals warn that there can be risks in using the technology as well.
David McManus, MD, ScM, the Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine, chair, and professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine, recently spoke with ABC News about the benefits and risks of wearable technology. According to Dr. McManus, the primary benefit lies in how individuals use the data collected.
“I do think it's reasonable on the basis of preliminary studies and observational studies, there is some potential benefit for certain types of people from wearing devices to get people motivated to change,” said Dr. McManus.
Although there are benefits to wearable technology, Dr. McManus warns of potential risks. “One thing I've learned as a physician and researcher is it's really hard to get people to change their habits. So it's not so much that the sensors don't work, and it's not so much that they're inaccurate - because there is plenty of data that shows that wearable devices can present really good, high-quality data - but the missing link in the chain of wearables to good health is getting people to actually get off their couch and go be more active,” said Dr. McManus.
Dr. McManus also warns of potential privacy concerns because of the amount of data that wearables generate and the risk of misuse. “The more data that’s generated, the greater the risk,” said Dr. McManus.