It’s time for your monthly digital health news dose. We have looked back at three of the most noteworthy pieces of news from the last month and distilled what they mean for the industry and the key takeaways you should have on your radar. Interested in getting beyond the headlines? We’ve included three industry experts who can help you get behind these stories - just let us know if you’d like us to make the introduction!
Snapshot of the story
This new collaboration will support development of the next generation of digital and diagnostic combinations in women’s health. These remote patient monitoring programs will be focused on solving issues of blood pressure-related complications, such as prenatal hypertension and using new methodologies for identifying hypertensive disorders.
Why it is notable
- This move is very much aligned with the Dear Future president survey conducted by our friend Lisa Suennen and team on what women want from healthcare. It is time to address the needs of the group that make up 80% of all healthcare decisions.
- Alignment with their product portfolio: Roche is doubling down in an area they have expertise - their portfolio of fertility and prenatal tests include Elecsys Anti-Müllerian Hormone fertility test to help improve chances of conception, and Harmony, their non-invasive prenatal testing that assesses the probability for trisomies 21, 18, 13.
Industry implications
- Accelerators are not yesterday - from pilot to full partnership. Babyscripts participated in Startup Creasphere, Roche's digital health accelerator program, which was instrumental in initiating this collaboration.
- There is a need for more than just reproductive care - While thise partnership centers on addressing women's reproductive medical needs, we must bear in mind that view “women’s health” more holistically, to encompass their physical, mental, as well as emotional wellbeing.
Read the news here.
Snapshot of the story
The Mayo Clinic, in partnership with the digital health start-up Safe Health Systems, has launched a new health and connected diagnostics platform that can be used to store COVID-19 testing and vaccination data, as well as test results for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and other medical conditions.
Why this is notable
- The future of virtual care includes on-demand diagnostic testing, including the tracking of lab results and proof of vaccine administration in support of the post-COVID-19 new normal.
- As the world looks to bring back travel, public gatherings like concerts and sporting events, there will be a need to verify that individuals have been tested or have received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Industry Implications
This could be an interesting future state where individuals have health passports with a quick history of diseases and treatments, vaccinations that they carry on their phone. But how much is too much for one to have to provide as proof?
Population data analytics - could this help identify hotspots and limit the spread of the virus? Who has access to the data and how will it be used? Uncertainty around data privacy may be a limiting factor in the widespread adoption of this passport.
Read the news here.
Dhesi Raja
Public Health Medicine Specialist (NSR)
Minstry of Public Health Malaysia
We can provide an introduction on your behalf so that you can contact them directly with any questions/queries on this topic. Simply click on the link below to request an introduction.
Snapshot of the story
Our friends at DiME and Elektra Labs have recently launched a Digital Measures Playbook to build a shared foundation for remote monitoring and digital clinical measures across research, care and public health.
Why is it notable
Digital biomarkers and measures have become a very topical area in recent years - the more the digital tools we use, the more the measurements we capture that need meaningful interpretation.
Collaboration: This playbook is the result of collaboration from across the industry, which is critical to capture multiple points of view, and to push adoption. Collaborators are Genentech, Roche Group, Elektra Labs, Koneksa, Myokardia, Sage Bionetworks, Scripps Research as well as DiME.
Industry implications
A clear message: Digital clinical measures should measure what matters most to participants, patients, and people and be defined and deployed similarly across clinical research, clinical care and public health.
What should you measure with what product, what measures are validated, where to get clinical validation for novel measures, how to use digital measures ethically, how do you bill for such measures - questions we all have, and the playbook offers an understanding of these essential concepts.
Read the news here.
Jennifer Goldsack
Interim Executive Director
Digital Medicine Society (DiMe)
We can provide an introduction on your behalf so that you can contact them directly with any questions/queries on this topic. Simply click on the link below to request an introduction.