By Erica
This morning, the WSJ reported on various Silicon Valley companies striving to reduce healthcare costs and inefficiencies using high-tech methods. Examples include:
• A miniature digestible chip that can be attached to conventional medication, sending a signal that confirms whether patients are taking their prescribed pills.
• A wearable device for wirelessly measuring vital signs in hospital rooms.
• A Band-Aid-like sensor that monitors patients on the move by measuring respiration, fluid status and physical movements.
Can these technologies help improve our ailing healthcare system?
Eric Topol, a cardiologist and genomics professor at Scripps Research Institute, believes they can. “Wireless applications have the potential to change every one of these areas,” he said at an industry event in San Diego last week.
I must say I’m surprised some of these ideas are only now being developed. Wirelessly measuring vital signs seems like a no-brainer, as it eliminates the need for “spot checks” and allows for continuous monitoring of various signs such as blood pressure.
The digestible chip, though intended for good use, seems a bit “Big Brother” to me. I take my prescribed pills in the proper dosage, so I don’t know that I will get behind this chip.
What do you think about Silicon Valley’s effort to improve healthcare?
August 4th, 2009
By Palmer Reuther
Racepoint’s very own Jackie Lustig is attending the Bio International Convention 2009 at the George World Congress Center in Atlanta. Here are her initial thoughts on the show:
“It’s a truly global event attracting scientists from all over the world. This year’s theme is “Heal, Fuel, Feed the World.” Among the exhibitors are Spain, Australia, Thailand, Brazil, Korea, France, Germany, Belgium and the states of Georgia, Massachusetts, California, North Carolina and Connecticut.
With traditional industrial manufacturing on the wane, governments at all levels have figured out that biotech is an industry that has the potential to bring well-paying jobs to their regions. The front page of the Atlanta Constitution Journal and the Georgia booth was a buzz with the news that the state is investing $400,000 to establish a biotech innovation center in the state – the first in the Southeast.
The exhibition also includes a number of biotech start-ups and the expected big boys. People we’ve talked to say that the mood is lot less ebullient than last year’s event in sunny San Diego. Due to the economic downturn, biotech funding has slowed dramatically. Most exhibitors have scaled back the number of people they’ve brought to Atlanta.
Sometimes it takes getting on a plane to meet interesting companies that are in one’s own backyard. Among the most innovative companies we met is Cubist, located in Lexington, Mass. Cubist was just ranked #1 in the annual Globe 100, Best of Massachusetts companies. It’s a great story of how persistence pays off and the ups and downs of new drug discovery.
There are some big headliners at this event – Sir Elton John being the big, big draw. Unfortunately, our pass didn’t get us into his keynote… maybe next year.”
May 20th, 2009
