Please take the opportunity to get further insights from the latest of our ‘Health Tech New Year’s Resolution’ series, which this week comes from Alistair Stuart, Director of Clinical Innovations and Digital Platforms at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
In this week’s news roundup for the health tech sector…
23andMe secures FDA clearance for consumer cancer test
Personal genetics company 23andMe Inc. was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for the use of its new direct-to-consumer genetic test on a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. According to 23andMe, this will be able to tell whether people have two genetic variants that influence MUTYH-associated polyposis, a rare condition associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Currently, many patients do not find out they have polyposis until they undergo an unrelated medical examination. 23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcick said: “We are committed to giving people affordable and direct access to important health information that can impact their lives. We believe improved access to genetic testing and health information will help people engage in their own health.”
Report: Digital respiratory health market primed for growth, could reach $557M by 2023
New data in a report released by Research2Guidance suggest that there is room in the digital respiratory health sector for growth. According to The Global Digital Respiratory Solutions Market 2009-2023 report, which reviewed and compared current and previous market data, outlined potential growth scenarios for digital respiratory health. One scenario anticipates an expansion of services, estimating that the global digital respiratory health market could reach $557 million by the end of 2023. “We’ve looked at the different segments of the health market, and we think that the combination of lung disease and digital-enabled treatment is a very promising area,” Ralf-Gordan Jahns, cofounder and managing director of Research2Guidance.
NHS England announces app’s public rollout
The NHS App is being rolled out to the public, following private testing with over 3,000 patients across 30 GP practices in England last year. Changes have been made to online registration processes, the ways in which GP appointment details are presented, and the information patients see before accessing their medical records. According to health secretary Matt Hancock, “the NHS App will give patients more control over their own healthcare and revolutionise the way we access services. It marks a shift towards a truly digitised NHS, as part of our long-term plan to build the most advanced health and care system in the world.” The NHS App is expected to be rolled out fully by July 2019.
Kaia Health gets $10M support for AI-powered management of chronic pain
Digital therapeutics start-up, Kaia Health, secured $10 million in Series A funding for its app-based approach to chronic pain management. The product offers an alternative treatment to painkillers, reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals by using mobile technology to deliver ‘mind body therapy’ for musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders through a combination of physical exercise guides, psychological techniques and medical education. Working to address “the root causes of chronic pain”, according to Kaia Health co-founder and CEO Konstantin Mehl, the app is currently focused on back pain. With the new funding, the company is aiming to fund further clinical studies and widen its scope from Europe to the US.
Interesting reads for the weekend:
- Global health research money reaches ‘record high’
- Are patients benefitting from better integrated care?
- Artificial intelligence spots infections among dementia patients in Surrey
- South West Yorkshire goes lives with new clinical portal
- Alphabet’s Verily scores FDA clearance for its ECG monitor
- Digital solutions should be used in every GP practice, review argues