Last Updated: August 13, 2026
DO NOT USE MSK BEACON IN AN EMERGENCY. MSK BEACON does not provide medical advice, medical monitoring, emergency services, or alerts. For a medical emergency or life-threatening condition, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
These terms of use (“Terms”) are an agreement between you (“you” or “your”) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (“MSK,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) and govern your access to and use of the MSK BEACON mobile application (“BEACON”).
BEACON is a research data collection application. It enables individuals participating in authorized MSK research studies to securely share certain health and activity data available through Apple HealthKit with MSK for research purposes. BEACON is intended for participants who have separately provided the applicable consent or authorization for participation in an MSK research study.
Please read and review these Terms carefully before using BEACON. By selecting “Accept” you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use BEACON.
Using BEACON
Purpose
BEACON allows eligible research participants to connect Apple HealthKit to MSK for purposes of an applicable MSK research study. Depending on the applicable research study and the permissions you authorize, BEACON may transmit historical HealthKit data for the period permitted by the applicable research consent, authorization, and study documentation, and may enable ongoing transmission of authorized HealthKit data to MSK.
BEACON is designed to collect and transmit research data. It is not designed to provide you with medical information, interpretations, recommendations, feedback, or other information concerning the data you share.
Your use of BEACON does not create a new patient-provider relationship between you and MSK and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or consultation with a healthcare provider.
Eligibility and Access
You may use BEACON only if you have been authorized to participate in an applicable MSK research study and have received a unique access token from the MSK research team.
To connect BEACON, you may be required to confirm your Apple ID, enter the unique token provided by the research team, accept these Terms, and authorize access to specified HealthKit data.
Your token is intended for your use only. You may not share your token with another person or use a token issued to another participant.
HealthKit and Research Data
BEACON will access and transmit only HealthKit data that you authorize for sharing through the application and that is collected in connection with the applicable research study.
Data transmitted through BEACON will be received by MSK and stored in systems used or authorized by MSK for research purposes.
Your participation in an MSK research study, including the collection and use of your research data, is also governed by the applicable research consent, authorization, study documentation, and other notices provided to you in connection with the study. These Terms govern your use of the BEACON application and do not replace those documents.
These Terms govern your access to and use of BEACON and do not constitute or replace your consent to participate in research or any authorization for the use or disclosure of health information. To the extent these Terms conflict with the applicable research consent, authorization, or other study documentation concerning your participation in research or the collection, use, disclosure, retention, or withdrawal of research data, the applicable research consent, authorization, or study documentation will control with respect to those matters.
Information about MSK’s handling of information collected through BEACON is described in the applicable BEACON privacy notice or policy.
Acceptable Use and Restrictions
MSK grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use BEACON for its intended research purpose and in accordance with these Terms.
You agree that you will not:
- use BEACON in violation of applicable law or these Terms;
- use another person’s access token or allow another person to use your access token;
- attempt to gain unauthorized access to BEACON, MSK systems, another participant’s information, or any related systems or networks;
- probe, scan, test, bypass, or circumvent BEACON’s security or authentication measures;
- interfere with or disrupt BEACON or the systems or networks supporting BEACON;
- introduce viruses, malicious code, or other harmful software;
- scrape, crawl, extract, mine, or otherwise access BEACON or its data through unauthorized automated means; or
- copy, modify, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, distribute, sell, sublicense, or make commercial use of BEACON except as permitted by applicable law or with MSK’s written permission.
MSK may suspend or terminate your access to BEACON if MSK determines that you have violated these Terms or if access is no longer appropriate in connection with the applicable research study.
Security
Access to BEACON is limited to authorized research participants. Any access token provided to you is unique to your participation and may be subject to expiration, deactivation, or other security controls established by MSK. You may not transfer, share, publish, or permit another person to use your access token or use an access token issued to another person.
You are responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect the device, Apple ID, access token, and other credentials you use in connection with BEACON. If you believe your device or access token is lost, stolen, compromised, disclosed to another person, or used without your authorization, you must promptly notify the MSK research team or the contact identified below. MSK may suspend, deactivate, replace, or require reauthentication of an access token or BEACON connection when MSK reasonably believes it is necessary to protect participants, research data, BEACON, or MSK systems.
MSK may use authentication, verification, logging, and other security measures to confirm eligibility and protect BEACON and research data. Successful authentication through BEACON does not independently establish a person’s identity or authority to participate in a research study, and MSK may require additional verification before establishing, restoring, or continuing access. MSK may monitor and log access to and use of BEACON as necessary to operate, secure, maintain, and support the application.
MSK’s Ownership Rights
BEACON, including its software, design, interfaces, text, graphics, trademarks, logos, and other content provided by MSK or its licensors, is owned by or licensed to MSK and may be protected by intellectual property laws.
Except for the limited right to use BEACON under these Terms, no rights in BEACON or MSK intellectual property are granted to you. You may not use MSK’s names, trademarks, or logos without MSK’s prior written permission.
These Terms do not transfer ownership of your HealthKit data to MSK. MSK’s rights to collect, store, access, use, disclose, or otherwise process research data are governed by the applicable research consent, authorization, study documentation, privacy notice, applicable law, and other terms applicable to the study.
Apple and Other Third-Party Services
BEACON relies on services and technologies provided by third parties, including Apple HealthKit and Apple services used by your device.
Your use of Apple products and services is subject to Apple’s applicable terms and privacy practices. MSK does not control third-party services and is not responsible for changes to, interruptions of, or limitations in those services.
Changes to BEACON and These Terms
MSK may modify BEACON, including by adding, removing, or changing features, or may suspend or discontinue BEACON.
MSK may also update these Terms from time to time. Updated Terms will become effective when made available through BEACON or as otherwise communicated to you. MSK may, in its sole discretion, require you to accept revised Terms before continuing to use BEACON.
Disclaimers
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BEACON IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
MSK DOES NOT WARRANT THAT BEACON WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES, OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR ERROR, OR THAT TRANSMISSION OF DATA WILL ALWAYS BE COMPLETE, TIMELY, OR SUCCESSFUL.
BEACON IS A RESEARCH DATA COLLECTION TOOL. IT DOES NOT MONITOR YOUR HEALTH FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES AND DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, WARNINGS, ALERTS, OR FEEDBACK. DO NOT RELY ON BEACON TO IDENTIFY OR RESPOND TO A MEDICAL CONDITION OR EMERGENCY.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you assume responsibility for your use of BEACON. MSK and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for consequential, indirect, special, punitive, or incidental damages arising out of or relating to your access to or use of BEACON, including damages resulting from interruption or unavailability of BEACON; unsuccessful, incomplete, delayed, or interrupted transmission of data; loss or corruption of data; unauthorized access to data; or the availability, operation, or failure of Apple HealthKit or other third-party services or technologies used in connection with BEACON.
BEACON is provided solely as a research data collection tool. MSK shall not be liable for any decision or action taken in reliance on BEACON to monitor, diagnose, treat, or respond to a medical condition because BEACON is not designed or intended for those purposes.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, if you experience a problem with BEACON, your remedy with respect to your use of the application is to discontinue use and contact the applicable MSK research team. Discontinuing use of BEACON does not determine your rights or obligations as a research participant or MSK’s permitted retention or use of research data previously collected, which are governed by the applicable research consent, authorization, study documentation, privacy notice, and applicable law.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability or right that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded.
Choice of Law and Venue
These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of BEACON will be brought in the applicable state or federal courts located in or serving New York, New York and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.
Termination
These Terms remain effective while you use BEACON. You may stop using BEACON at any time, including by discontinuing use of the application or disabling BEACON’s access to HealthKit through your device settings. MSK may suspend or terminate access to BEACON at any time, including if your access is no longer required for the applicable research study or if you violate these Terms.
Stopping use of BEACON, deleting the application, disabling HealthKit permissions, or termination of your access to BEACON will stop or limit future collection of data through BEACON to the extent resulting from that action. These actions do not, by themselves, constitute withdrawal from an MSK research study or revocation of any consent or authorization you have provided in connection with the study.
If you wish to withdraw from a research study or revoke an applicable authorization, you should follow the instructions provided in the applicable research consent, authorization, or other study documentation or contact the applicable MSK research team.
Withdrawal from a research study or revocation of an authorization may have different effects on future data collection and on research data already collected. The applicable research consent, authorization, study documentation, privacy notice, and applicable law govern the effect of any withdrawal or revocation and MSK’s retention, use, or disclosure of research data previously collected.
Miscellaneous
These Terms constitute the agreement between you and MSK concerning your use of the BEACON application, but do not replace or modify the research consent, authorization, or other study documentation governing your participation in an MSK research study.
If any provision of these Terms is determined to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
MSK’s failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not waive its right to enforce that provision or any other provision in the future.
How to Contact Us
If you have questions about BEACON, your access to BEACON, or these Terms, contact:
MSK BEACON / Research Study Contact:
[email protected]
For questions concerning your participation in a research study or the collection and use of your research data, contact the research team identified in your study consent or other study materials.