Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tech Companies Are Moving Full-Steam Ahead With Wearables, But What Are They Doing With All That Health Data?
The Wall Street Journal: Blood Pressure, Baby’s Pulse, Sperm Potency: Home Health Devices Are Tracking More Than Ever
Companies are planning to get personal—very personal—at the 2019 CES technology show this week in Las Vegas. The annual event for showcasing the latest in consumer technology will feature self-driving shuttle buses, 5G wireless hubs, artificially intelligent ovens and more, but exhibitors will also be displaying their ability to intuit deeper health data directly from users, often with cheap, even wearable, devices. (Bindley, 1/6)
Stat: At Glitzy Tech Show, Chronic-Disease Gadgets To Take Center Stage
An exploding array of digital health companies will converge on Las Vegas this week to showcase the latest advances in using data and algorithms to try to solve the world’s toughest health problems. The annual Consumer Electronics Show — a sort of Sundance Film Festival of must-have gadgets — has become an increasingly popular venue for health technology firms looking to make a splash in the $7 trillion global medical industry. And this year’s event will be no different, bringing a particular focus on chronic disease, an area where purveyors of new software and wearables see breakthrough potential. (Ross, 1/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Health Startups Take Down Data Silos That Block AI Adoption
The medical field’s lofty dreams of unleashing the power of artificial intelligence have set off a race to rework the way health-care specialists make use of their data. Although technology exists to make AI a potent tool, there is a snag. Data relevant to answering specific questions often reside in various locations, from hospitals to diagnostic labs to pharmaceutical companies. These information silos are typical in the health-care field, leaving scientists and other medical professionals at a disadvantage to harness the full predictive power of AI. (Gormley, 1/6)
Columbus Dispatch: As Surgeons Tout Robot-Assisted Breast Cancer Surgeries, Safety Remains A Question
Now, robot-assisted surgery — the most high-tech, high-cost version of minimally invasive technology — is being introduced for breast cancer treatment. But rigorous clinical trials have not been done to compare the safety of robotic approaches with conventional methods. (McCullough, 1/6)
