How to Fix a 1.4 Physical Harm Guideline Violation
How to Comply with Apple's Safety Guideline Physical Harm 1.4.1
Our app, RootCause, was rejected from the App Store for physical harm—here's how we updated our app to comply with the guideline without submitting an appeal.
RootCause is an AI-powered symptom tracker and analyzer that detects patterns in the user's diet and finds correlations between what they eat and how they feel—our AI gives potential reasons for why components in specific foods could correspond with specific symptoms.
Violation 1
Apple rejected RootCause because we did not provide sources for medical information, nor did we disclaim that the information we provide is not intended to be medical advice (1.4.1). Here is how we updated our app to comply with these guidelines:
1.4.1 Medical apps that could provide inaccurate data or information, or that could be used for diagnosing or treating patients may be reviewed with greater scrutiny.
Solution
We added a button titled 'Sources' on the same page as the generated content. Basically, we narrowed down hypothetical categories for this content, like nutrition, gastrointestinal issues, etc., and created a modal with links to reputable sources for each of these categories. That's it! After we implemented the sources modal, we had no other issues with this guideline.
AI Disclaimer and Sources Link
Source Modal with Links
Violation 2
We also violated the safety guideline by not reminding our users to consult a doctor before making medical decisions.
1.4.1 Apps should remind users to check with a doctor in addition to using the app and before making medical decisions.
Solution
It was much easier to comply with this guideline. All we had to do was add a disclaimer before the user can access the analysis page and require the user to agree to this disclaimer.
Medical Disclaimer
Hopefully, this post is helpful if your app has also been rejected for these reasons. Best of luck! 🍀
