In what is claimed as the largest study of how digital technologies were applied to support population level research during the pandemic, scientists at the U.K. Medical Research Council’s epidemiology unit at Cambridge University have reported high, sustained levels of engagement in a fully remote COVID-19 study that ran at a time when visits to a study center were not possible.
At a time when Chat GPT is making waves in the world of artificial intelligence (AI), new legislation is making the rounds in Washington that would allow an AI algorithm to write prescriptions for pharmaceuticals. Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) introduced H.R. 206 to the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee Jan. 9, although at present the bill enjoys the backing of no other members of the House, suggesting that this legislation has a steep climb in front of it.
Hinge Health Inc., a company offering online and virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) care, is expanding its digital platform to include in-person care. The new House Calls service will initially kick off in Chicago, followed by a nationwide rollout.
A panel at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference touched on how multiple remote patient monitoring devices and management can be streamlined via machine learning to identify patients who need follow up, in many cases in their homes, increasing value without increasing the burden on already short-staffed health care organizations. The panelists saw technology as a way around a shortage of providers that could both increase access to care and deliver more targeted acute care while also addressing factors in health disparity to prevent development of disease.
The European Union’s (EU) Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) drew a fair amount of criticism when it was first released, but Team-NB, the association of notified bodies (NBs) for the EU, has weighed in with some less than flattering observations. The group’s position paper on the legislation said that the act would not only up-classify some artificial intelligence algorithms to a higher risk class but would also resurrect the backlog of applications because of burdensome new requirements for NBs, thus exacerbating an existing crisis of med tech availability in the EU.
Nuralogix Corp. is taking its selfie-based health monitoring platform to the next level, offering continuous health and vital signs tracking during video calls. The launch of Anura Telehealth is the newest addition its Anura app, which uses video cameras on smartphones and other consumer devices to extract facial blood flow information and provide a personalized snapshot of health and wellness.
The U.S. FDA managed to wrap up a guidance for clinical decision support (CDS) products after several years, one of several projects the agency was liable for in the area of digital health. While a much-needed draft guidance for change control for artificial intelligence algorithms made the guidance agenda for the FDA’s new fiscal year, that draft is only a B draft guidance priority, suggesting that a final guidance might not emerge until calendar year 2024, possibly later.
Fujifilm Corp. inked an agreement to purchase the global digital pathology business of Inspirata Inc., paving the way for expansion of its Synapse enterprise imaging offering. The transaction includes Inspirata’s Dynamyx software, which Fujifilm has distributed in the U.K. and certain European Union countries since mid-2020. Under the agreement, Fujifilm will acquire Inspirata’s digital pathology technology, as well as employees and customers associated with the brand. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. It is expected to close in early 2023.
The move away from in-clinic testing continues, with another company offering a convenient, at-home sensor that gathers critical health information without requiring any change on the part of the patient, which may provide even more accurate, real-world data on patient health than the tests they replace.
Olive Diagnostics Pvt. Ltd. is looking to raise $10 million in a series A funding round to extend sales and marketing activities, after getting CE approval for its urine analysis device that mounts on any toilet. Among other parameters the device, Olive KG, can measure red blood cells, proteins, nitrates, pH levels volume, pressure and frequency of urination.