Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study
BackgroundA partnership between the University of Antwerp and the University of Kinshasa implemented the EBOVAC3 clinical trial with an Ebola vaccine regimen administered to health care provider participants in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This randomiz...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2021/8/e28573 |
| _version_ | 1797735808349765632 |
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| author | Trésor Zola Matuvanga Ginger Johnson Ynke Larivière Emmanuel Esanga Longomo Junior Matangila Vivi Maketa Bruno Lapika Patrick Mitashi Paula Mc Kenna Jessie De Bie Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden Pierre Van Damme Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko |
| author_facet | Trésor Zola Matuvanga Ginger Johnson Ynke Larivière Emmanuel Esanga Longomo Junior Matangila Vivi Maketa Bruno Lapika Patrick Mitashi Paula Mc Kenna Jessie De Bie Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden Pierre Van Damme Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko |
| author_sort | Trésor Zola Matuvanga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundA partnership between the University of Antwerp and the University of Kinshasa implemented the EBOVAC3 clinical trial with an Ebola vaccine regimen administered to health care provider participants in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This randomized controlled trial was part of an Ebola outbreak preparedness initiative financed through Innovative Medicines Initiative-European Union. The EBOVAC3 clinical trial used iris scan technology to identify all health care provider participants enrolled in the vaccine trial, to ensure that the right participant received the right vaccine at the right visit.
ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the acceptability, accuracy, and feasibility of iris scan technology as an identification method within a population of health care provider participants in a vaccine trial in a remote setting.
MethodsWe used a mixed methods study. The acceptability was assessed prior to the trial through 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) and was assessed at enrollment. Feasibility and accuracy research was conducted using a longitudinal trial study design, where iris scanning was compared with the unique study ID card to identify health care provider participants at enrollment and at their follow-up visits.
ResultsDuring the FGDs, health care provider participants were mainly concerned about the iris scan technology causing physical problems to their eyes or exposing them to spiritual problems through sorcery. However, 99% (85/86; 95% CI 97.1-100.0) of health care provider participants in the FGDs agreed to be identified by the iris scan. Also, at enrollment, 99.0% (692/699; 95% CI 98.2-99.7) of health care provider participants accepted to be identified by iris scan. Iris scan technology correctly identified 93.1% (636/683; 95% CI 91.2-95.0) of the participants returning for scheduled follow-up visits. The iris scanning operation lasted 2 minutes or less for 96.0% (656/683; 95% CI 94.6-97.5), and 1 attempt was enough to identify the majority of study participants (475/683, 69.5%; 95% CI 66.1-73.0).
ConclusionsIris scans are highly acceptable as an identification tool in a clinical trial for health care provider participants in a remote setting. Its operationalization during the trial demonstrated a high level of accuracy that can reliably identify individuals. Iris scanning is found to be feasible in clinical trials but requires a trained operator to reduce the duration and the number of attempts to identify a participant.
Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04186000; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04186000 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:04:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-785865025c13467fa926005294736f47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:04:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-785865025c13467fa926005294736f472023-08-28T18:29:15ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712021-08-01238e2857310.2196/28573Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods StudyTrésor Zola Matuvangahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-415XGinger Johnsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4728-3744Ynke Larivièrehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5422-0194Emmanuel Esanga Longomohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5738-3896Junior Matangilahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9025-3604Vivi Maketahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9007-1376Bruno Lapikahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3689-8890Patrick Mitashihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6589-2869Paula Mc Kennahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0789-1451Jessie De Biehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9035-1549Jean-Pierre Van Geertruydenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5006-6364Pierre Van Dammehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8642-1249Hypolite Muhindo Mavokohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3307-3324 BackgroundA partnership between the University of Antwerp and the University of Kinshasa implemented the EBOVAC3 clinical trial with an Ebola vaccine regimen administered to health care provider participants in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This randomized controlled trial was part of an Ebola outbreak preparedness initiative financed through Innovative Medicines Initiative-European Union. The EBOVAC3 clinical trial used iris scan technology to identify all health care provider participants enrolled in the vaccine trial, to ensure that the right participant received the right vaccine at the right visit. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the acceptability, accuracy, and feasibility of iris scan technology as an identification method within a population of health care provider participants in a vaccine trial in a remote setting. MethodsWe used a mixed methods study. The acceptability was assessed prior to the trial through 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) and was assessed at enrollment. Feasibility and accuracy research was conducted using a longitudinal trial study design, where iris scanning was compared with the unique study ID card to identify health care provider participants at enrollment and at their follow-up visits. ResultsDuring the FGDs, health care provider participants were mainly concerned about the iris scan technology causing physical problems to their eyes or exposing them to spiritual problems through sorcery. However, 99% (85/86; 95% CI 97.1-100.0) of health care provider participants in the FGDs agreed to be identified by the iris scan. Also, at enrollment, 99.0% (692/699; 95% CI 98.2-99.7) of health care provider participants accepted to be identified by iris scan. Iris scan technology correctly identified 93.1% (636/683; 95% CI 91.2-95.0) of the participants returning for scheduled follow-up visits. The iris scanning operation lasted 2 minutes or less for 96.0% (656/683; 95% CI 94.6-97.5), and 1 attempt was enough to identify the majority of study participants (475/683, 69.5%; 95% CI 66.1-73.0). ConclusionsIris scans are highly acceptable as an identification tool in a clinical trial for health care provider participants in a remote setting. Its operationalization during the trial demonstrated a high level of accuracy that can reliably identify individuals. Iris scanning is found to be feasible in clinical trials but requires a trained operator to reduce the duration and the number of attempts to identify a participant. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04186000; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04186000https://www.jmir.org/2021/8/e28573 |
| spellingShingle | Trésor Zola Matuvanga Ginger Johnson Ynke Larivière Emmanuel Esanga Longomo Junior Matangila Vivi Maketa Bruno Lapika Patrick Mitashi Paula Mc Kenna Jessie De Bie Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden Pierre Van Damme Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study |
| title_full | Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study |
| title_fullStr | Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study |
| title_short | Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study |
| title_sort | use of iris scanning for biometric recognition of healthy adults participating in an ebola vaccine trial in the democratic republic of the congo mixed methods study |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2021/8/e28573 |
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