All physicians should acquire a basic understanding of artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for a potential licensing exam to ensure competency.
A pioneering initiative at Harvard educates future doctors about the inherent structural problems within the healthcare system, aiming to foster deeper understanding and improved care strategies.
Everyday technologies like Microsoft Excel and GPS trace their origins back to university research rather than corporate boardrooms. While tech icons like Jobs and Gates are well-known, the foundational innovations often stem from academic researchers whose curiosity-driven work has sparked billion-dollar industries. For example, GPS was pioneered by physicists at Johns Hopkins during the Cold War, spreadsheets were developed by Harvard and MIT students Bricklin and Frankston, self-driving cars were advanced through Stanford’s AI Lab, and cancer detection methods owe to discoveries at Johns Hopkins. These breakthroughs highlight a three-part innovation ecosystem involving federal funding, university research, and private sector development, which has powered America’s technological leadership and economy for decades. As funding challenges arise, understanding and supporting this ecosystem remains critical for future progress.
By Jonathan Kron
Healthcare AI investment is booming, with $10.7 billion invested this year alone, 24% more than last year. However, startup adoption lags due to healthcare's regulatory cycles, contrasting the rapid growth expectations of investors. According to Bessemer Venture Partners, only 30% of health AI projects reach production, highlighting a gap between venture speed and system absorption. Founders pressured by short-term gains prioritize momentum over clinical integration, often building features to attract funding rather than real adoption, resulting in high costs with little systemic change. The crux lies in mismatched timelines; healthcare values trust, validation, and interoperability, which take years to develop and deliver compounded value unlike consumer tech's speed advantage. Success in healthcare AI depends on truly integrating with clinicians, understanding compliance, data standards, and workflows, and focusing on clinical problems rather than hype. The "AI wellness" sector enjoys quick growth but lacks validation, whereas "AI clinical" solutions progress slower but provide lasting impact and defensible value. For lasting success, founders must align with knowledgeable investors who value patient capital, build solutions for adoption over hype, and prioritize regulatory compliance and clinical outcomes. Patient investors backing integration-oriented companies with long-term vision will ultimately shape the foundational platforms for global health systems. Jonathan Kron, CEO of BloodGPT, advocates for this patient approach to healthcare AI investing, emphasizing that transformative impact and sustained returns require time and trust.
Marty Makary and Vinay Prasad of the FDA have proposed a streamlined framework for developing CRISPR gene-editing treatments on demand. This approach promises faster delivery of personalized medicines, potentially transforming care for families in need of urgent genetic therapies. Experts weigh in on the innovation's impact and future possibilities in gene-editing medicine development.
Merck has announced plans to acquire Cidara Therapeutics, the developer of a promising experimental flu treatment, in a deal valued at $9.2 billion.
This week's AI Prognosis newsletter covers insights on Microsoft's approach to 'humanist superintelligence,' updates on AI vendors working with Medicare, and other relevant news in the field of artificial intelligence.
AbbVie is concluding its ten-year collaboration with Calico Life Sciences, a biotech firm funded by Alphabet that specializes in aging research. Alongside this, AbbVie has announced layoffs affecting its scientific workforce.
In the latest edition of STAT's Health Tech newsletter, Pfizer reveals its developing initiatives in digital health technology, highlighting the company's growing commitment to innovation in healthcare. This update includes insights into Pfizer's strategic direction and other relevant health tech industry news.
Self.co, a digital health startup focused on allergy and food intolerance management, has successfully raised €2.56 million through a combination of grants and venture capital. This new funding will support the company's mission to make advanced molecular allergy testing more accessible to a wider audience, empowering individuals with better tools for understanding and managing their allergic conditions.
