International research project Multicentre Epilepsy Lesion Detection (MELD), led by University College London, has developed artificial intelligence software that can identify minute brain anomalies that lead to epilepsy seizures. These anomalies, known as focal cortical dysplasia, can often be treated with surgery but are difficult to visualize on an MRI.
The U.S. FDA’s formation of the Digital Health Center of Excellence (DHCoE) was heralded as a key enabler of digital health technologies, but the news hasn’t necessarily had the expected effect. The agency’s December 2021 draft guidance on the use of digital health technologies to assist in the conduct of clinical trials is still in regulatory drydock.
Nuralogix Corp. has trained machine learning models to interpret blood flow patterns in facial scans to predict whether an individual has prediabetes. The model runs on a smartphone app, which could increase awareness of the risk of developing diabetes in a significant portion of the population.
Medical science has been experimenting with smart devices for several years to determine whether these products can detect circulatory system diseases, and a study presented at the 2022 meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC 2022) seems to strongly suggest that the answer is a resounding yes. The eBRAVE-AF study of more than 5,500 enrollees of middle age or older demonstrated the ability of a smartphone camera and a downloadable app to at beat conventional screening for atrial fibrillation (AF), a finding that could save lives and boost the prospects of device makers in the digital health space.
Cue Health Inc. rolled out a same-day, at-home, test-to-treatment program through its Cue Health app for any patient in the U.S. with a positive result from its COVID-19 test. The service includes a virtual, on-demand visit with a health care professional to discuss the test result; a prescription for medication to treat the virus, if appropriate; and home delivery of the medication, typically within hours of the visit. Medications may also be made available for pickup at a local pharmacy.
German regulators have unveiled their initial report covering the prescription and deployment of reimbursable health apps. The survey was carried out by Hamburg-based health insurance fund Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) in conjunction with Bielefeld University in North Rhine-Westphalia and health care economics analysis research bureau Vandage GmbH, also based in Bielefeld.
Cumulus Neuroscience Ltd. published a study demonstrating its home use electroencephalogram (EEG) can turn in more precise results than supervised laboratory-based assessments.
A team of researchers from France has started subjecting e-health applications marketed in France to a new scoring tool. This involves rapidly assessing the relevance and potential of software solutions in the medical sector. The results of their study have been published this summer in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR).
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may soon have a new way to better manage their health without increasing doctor visits. Nuvoair AB reported that a trial in two U.S. locations showed that 80% of participants with COPD experienced a reduction in hospitalizations as well as improvement in quality of life using the company's integrated digital app and counseling program.
Shanghai Aitrox Technology Co. Ltd. (Fosun Aitrox) completed strategic financing of over ¥100 million (US$14.8 million) to develop its pipelines in artificial intelligence (AI)-aided diagnosis platforms. This financing was led by Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co. Ltd. and Sinopharm-CICC (Shanghai) Private Equity Investment Management Co. Ltd.