[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":332},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-top-digital-health-stories-of-2018-from-amazon-and-google-to-gene-edited-babies":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":209,"relatedBooks":331},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":32,"project_category":54,"contact_email_category":55,"yst_prominent_words":56,"class_list":71,"better_featured_image":100,"acf":144,"yoast_meta":153,"_links":156},22530,"2018-12-11T13:00:31","2018-12-11T11:00:31",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-05-27T10:26:12","2022-05-27T08:26:12","top-digital-health-stories-of-2018-from-amazon-and-google-to-gene-edited-babies","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ftop-digital-health-stories-of-2018-from-amazon-and-google-to-gene-edited-babies",{"rendered":17},"Top Digital Health Stories of 2018: From Amazon And Google To Gene-Edited Babies",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Instead of mind-boggling inventions, 2018 was the year when national governments, as well as healthcare regulators, started to embrace digital health technologies at scale. The year when Google, Amazon, Apple or Microsoft competed head-to-head for the biggest chunks on the healthcare market, and when the buzzword of the year award went to the blockchain. Here’s our guide to the top digital health stories from last year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2018: Under the spell of cosmos and microcosmos\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Every year, The Medical Futurist team sits down and collects the top stories of the past 12 months in healthcare. We put the novelties under the microscope, and carefully consider which technologies and\u002For scientific methods could prove to be a passing fling and which are here to stay for longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Looking at the scientific field in general and considering a much broader context, it is safe to say that 2018 was both the year of Mars and genetics\u002Fgenomics: humanity has considerably widened its horizon regarding the infinite space and the microparticle level\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In practice, that means, for example, that paleogeneticists discovered that a woman who died 90,000 years ago was parented by two different species of human. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fd41586-018-06004-0\">genome analysis\u003C\u002Fa> of a bone found in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Russia, the woman was half Neanderthal, half Denisovan. But not only that finding was made possible by the incredible advancement of genetics and genomics. In March 2018, NASA announced their twin studies program revealed that time in space can actually change the \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.livescience.com\u002F62044-scott-kelly-space-genes-not-changed.html\">expressions of certain genes\u003C\u002Fa>. Upon returning from the cosmos, Scott Kelly’s \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.newsweek.com\u002Fscott-kelly-astronauts-nasa-dna-838535\">DNA, especially the telomeres underwent some changes\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In connection with humanity’s other space adventures, on July 25, 2018, the Italian Space Agency announced researchers discovered an underground lake on Mars. Using a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fspace\u002Fmoon-mars\u002Fa22541370\u002Funderground-lake-liquid-water-mars\u002F\">ground-penetrating radar\u003C\u002Fa>, scientists uncovered a subglacial lake. Later on, the Mars camera \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fscientists-discover-clean-water-ice-just-below-mars-surface\u002F\">HiRISE\u003C\u002Fa> discovered several spots of eroded land that allowed for more direct access to the planet’s ice supply. What is more, NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity found an assortment of organic molecules on the red planet’s surface, an indication of the possibility of biological life forms on Mars. And according to the latest news, the space agency’s Insight robot landed on the red planet after a six-month journey on 28 November. Now, even if \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002Fblog\u002F2018\u002Fjan\u002F11\u002Fwill-we-be-ready-to-put-a-human-footprint-on-mars-in-15-years\">we are not sure yet whether we can travel to Mars within 15 years\u003C\u002Fa>, we might have a broader frame to understand humanity’s aspirations and its achievements so far this year, so let’s look at what happened at the forefront of health innovation in the recent past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-22531 size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FNASA-Mars-Insight-Landing.jpg\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-22531\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FNASA-Mars-Insight-Landing.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FNASA-Mars-Insight-Landing-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FNASA-Mars-Insight-Landing-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FNASA-Mars-Insight-Landing-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.teslarati.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) The importance of good policies\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>While there’s an abundance of digital health technologies out there, neither a level of adoption nor a manner of embracement beneficial for both the patient and the doctor comes naturally. While it could help solve critical problems in care, it could create new ones\u003C\u002Fstrong>. For example, a study found that clinician-oriented solutions such as electronic health records (EHRs) are contributing to \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.nejm.org\u002Fdoi\u002Ffull\u002F10.1056\u002FNEJMp1716845\">physician burnout\u003C\u002Fa> instead of facilitating patient care in the US. Many anticipated that \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhbr.org\u002F2018\u002F04\u002Fhow-to-accelerate-the-adoption-of-digital-health-technology\">health information technology would reduce costs by limiting the duplication of tests\u003C\u002Fa> and studies, but there is little evidence that it has accomplished this. And while patient-oriented digital solutions have proliferated in number, their clinical impact has been limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>That’s where guidelines and good policies come into the picture: for a successful implementation of digital health practices and for embedding them into the daily lives of patients and doctors – without further complications\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Recognizing the gravity of the issue, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-best-practices-policy-makers-free-report\">The Medical Futurist Institute published its best practice guidance for policy-makers\u003C\u002Fa> in March 2018, which aims at making it easier to choose the most fitting technology for a given care setting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That might come in handy as some countries already started to map out digital health policies much earlier – just look at Estonia and its digital democracy. Many others launched the process last year, for example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcanada-brings-automation-healthcare-example-governments-follow\">Canada\u003C\u002Fa>, or this year. Denmark published its digital health strategy in January, while \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fnational-digital-health-strategies-around-the-world\">New Zealand, Australia, Israel or Rwanda are all in the process of working out their way how to embrace digital health\u003C\u002Fa>. It is an unprecedented number of countries trying to bridge digital technologies with their healthcare system, and The Medical Futurist assumes that the process will continue with many more in 2019.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDigital-Health-Best-Practices-for-Policy-Makers-512x288.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22564\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDigital-Health-Best-Practices-for-Policy-Makers-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDigital-Health-Best-Practices-for-Policy-Makers-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDigital-Health-Best-Practices-for-Policy-Makers-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDigital-Health-Best-Practices-for-Policy-Makers.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2) Big tech marches into healthcare\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For the last couple of years, \u003Cstrong>there is \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fleanpub.com\u002Ftech-giants-in-healthcare\">\u003Cstrong>a clear trend showing how the big fish in technology are making a push into healthcare\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>. Never was it so evident than in 2018 and nothing can prove it better than the top-level healthcare professionals hired to tech companies.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnbc.com\u002F2018\u002F01\u002F30\u002Famazon-berkshire-hathaway-and-jpmorgan-chase-to-partner-on-us-employee-health-care.html\">announced\u003C\u002Fa> a partnership to cut healthcare costs and improve services for their US employees, Jeff Bezos’ company \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthcareitnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fatul-gawande-lead-amazon-berkshire-hathaway-and-jpmorgan-chase-venture\">recruited recognized surgeon\u003C\u002Fa>, author, and journalist Atul Gawande to lead their new healthcare company as a CEO. In June 2018, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthcareitnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmicrosoft-hires-two-healthcare-leaders-teases-future-projects\">Microsoft hired two top healthcare professionals\u003C\u002Fa> to enhance its open cloud architecture and A.I. solutions and focus on partnerships and cross-company strategy for both healthcare and life sciences. In the case of Google, its parent company, Alphabet has such a vast portfolio in healthcare – with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fverily.com\u002F\">Verily Life Sciences\u003C\u002Fa>, Google Genomics, Deepmind, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.calicolabs.com\u002F\">Calico\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.google.com\u002Ffit\u002F\">Google Fit\u003C\u002Fa> – that at the beginning of November, it \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theverge.com\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F9\u002F18079420\u002Fgoogle-health-care-strategy-fit-home-nest-deepmind-verily-ceo-geisinger\">hired Geisinger Health CEO David Feinberg\u003C\u002Fa> to oversee its many initiatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The high-profile hires certainly mean new health projects or the advancement of already existing ones\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Amazon was likely to prepare its dynamic move into the pharma scene, while as its latest move, it \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wsj.com\u002Farticles\u002Famazon-starts-selling-software-to-mine-patient-health-records-1543352136\">announced to sell software\u003C\u002Fa> that mines patient medical records for information doctors and hospitals could use to improve treatment and cut costs. Google strengthens its positions throughout the entire health spectrum, while Tim Cook’s company polishes the capabilities of its smartphones. In January 2018, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.apple.com\u002Fnewsroom\u002F2018\u002F01\u002Fapple-announces-effortless-solution-bringing-health-records-to-iPhone\u002F\">Apple announced that it is bringing health records to iPhones\u003C\u002Fa>. That means some patients in the US can reach their medical histories with one tap into the Health app already. Also, back in December 2017, Tim Cook & Co. announced the development of an advanced heart-monitoring feature for future versions of its smartwatch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Tech companies clearly \u003Cstrong>see the vast potential in the digitization of health services and are in a neck-and-neck race for gaining the most from the healthcare market. That was definitely one of the most defining trends in 2018.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F0917_tech_giants_16x9_V2.png\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-22532\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F0917_tech_giants_16x9_V2.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F0917_tech_giants_16x9_V2-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F0917_tech_giants_16x9_V2-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F0917_tech_giants_16x9_V2-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) The spotlight on the blockchain\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Don Tapscott, author of the book entitled \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FBlockchain-Revolution-Technology-Changing-Business\u002Fdp\u002F151135769X\">Blockchain Revolution\u003C\u002Fa> said in his superb, no-frills \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ted.com\u002Ftalks\u002Fdon_tapscott_how_the_blockchain_is_changing_money_and_business?language=hu#t-1116028\">TED Talk\u003C\u002Fa> that blockchain is likely to have the most significant impact on the next few decades. Well, the technology already has an indisputable achievement: \u003Cstrong>the buzzword of the year award will definitely go to it in 2018. The craze and hype around it remind some experts even of the dotcom bubble.\u003C\u002Fstrong> As \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reuters.com\u002Farticle\u002Fus-blockchain-companies\u002Fblockchain-name-grabbing-has-echoes-of-dotcom-bubble-idUSKBN1FS1F3\">Reuters explained in its analysis\u003C\u002Fa>, the average share price of companies who have jumped on the blockchain bandwagon and visualized the change at least in their name has risen more than threefold since their re-branding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>No wonder that there are hundreds of companies, start-ups, enterprises, ventures experimenting with blockchain technology – also in healthcare. One of the most exciting initiatives, \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nebulagenomics.io\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Nebula Genomics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>,\u003C\u002Fstrong> co-founded by renown geneticist George Church and officially launched in November 2018, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newscientist.com\u002Farticle\u002F2185211-a-new-dna-sequencing-service-wants-to-reward-you-for-sharing-your-data\u002F\">uses a blockchain-secured service to sequence people’s genomes\u003C\u002Fa> without charging a fee, and they offer rewards to those who let third parties access their data. The company even believes that the genomic big data market, which will soon emerge, could be secured by blockchain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, \u003Cstrong>genomic data storage is not the only way blockchain could be useful in healthcare. Numerous countries started to follow Estonia’s lead in securing their medical health records with the technology\u003C\u002Fstrong>, including the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthcaretownhall.com\u002F?p=9278#sthash.A4YZweaW.dpbs\">United Arab Emirates\u003C\u002Fa>. Moreover, \u003Cstrong>pharma companies are eager to \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Frobotics-blockchain-redesign-pharma-supply-chain\">\u003Cstrong>protect their drug distribution chains\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> through the blockchain to reduce the chance to counterfeit drugs.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In another example, in March 2018, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalchain.com\u002Fen\u002F\">Medicalchain\u003C\u002Fa>, a decentralized, blockchain-based platform to securely store health records \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fmedicalchain\u002Fmedicalchain-announces-a-partnership-with-the-groves-medical-group-london-98c30372998b\">announced a partnership with The Groves Medical Group\u003C\u002Fa>, an organization with 30,000 registered NHS patients. It’s the first medical practice in \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.pmlive.com\u002Fpharma_news\u002Fblockchain_pilot_for_electronic_health_records_kicks_off_in_uk_1254650\">the UK that started to use blockchain technology through an app to give more control to patients over their medical records\u003C\u002Fa>. What’s more, users can easily buy medicine-related services via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbitcoinexchangeguide.com\u002Fmedicalchain-opens-myclinic-a-telemedic-platform-for-patient-consults\u002F\">MyClinic.com\u003C\u002Fa> using the Medicalchain cryptocurrency, MedTokens (MTN). The project is in its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbitcoinexchangeguide.com\u002Fmedicalchains-blockchain-built-myclinic-app-facilitates-first-medical-service-via-video-in-the-uk-paid-in-crypto\u002F\">pilot phase\u003C\u002Fa>, but we are curious how it will unfold in 2019.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17555\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fblockchain-in-healthcare-444x250.png 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4) Diabetes ups and downs\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When we went through the most exciting stories in 2017, we came to the conclusion that the beginning of a new era in diabetes care is upon us with such realities at that time as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fliving-with-an-artificial-pancreas\u002F\">FDA-approved artificial pancreas\u003C\u002Fa> or such small, but significant innovations as a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medgadget.com\u002F2017\u002F12\u002Faccurate-glucose-monitor-integrated-inside-smartphone-case.html\">glucose monitor built into phone cases\u003C\u002Fa>. This year, \u003Cstrong>advancement in the field continued under the watchful eye of the FDA, for example, in June, the \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medscape.com\u002Fviewarticle\u002F898453\">\u003Cstrong>organization has extended its approval of the MiniMed 670G system\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> (Medtronic) hybrid closed-looped system\u003C\u002Fstrong> for glucose measurement and insulin delivery (the so-called artificial pancreas) to include children with type 1 diabetes. Also, as many experts suspected a year earlier, the artificial pancreas is gaining momentum: its market is anticipated to reach $390.4 million by 2024, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.grandviewresearch.com\u002Fpress-release\u002Fglobal-artificial-pancreas-device-market\">according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, one of the year’s most exciting announcement came from a French company, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pkvitality.com\u002F\">PKvitality\u003C\u002Fa>, announced in November that \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medgadget.com\u002F2018\u002F11\u002Fcontinuous-glucose-measuring-smartwatch-kwatch-glucose-expected-soon.html\">it’s getting ever closer to unveiling the world’s first glucose measuring smartwatch\u003C\u002Fa>. The watch is supposed to be able to continue to measure glucose levels in real-time, providing results when needed and eventually triggering alarms to warn users of abnormal levels. Although we cannot place our hopes too high this time, as claims about easy and accurate assessment have already been made without tangible results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For example, \u003Cstrong>it turned out irrevocably that the project for manufacturing contact lenses for detecting diabetes failed. Alphabet’s company, \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bloomberg.com\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002F2018-11-16\u002Falphabet-s-verily-halts-diabetes-detecting-contact-lens-project\">\u003Cstrong>Verily Life Sciences halted one of its longest running projects with the announcement in November\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>. The company said that the reason for shutting down the initiative was that it couldn’t get the experimental lens, which measures glucose in tears, to deliver assessments of blood glucose with enough consistency to be used as a medical device. Although we somewhat expected the disappointing news as there was no word about the undertaking for months, we still had a pinch of hope around the research.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22533\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FArtificial-Pancreas.jpg\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-22533\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FArtificial-Pancreas.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FArtificial-Pancreas-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FArtificial-Pancreas-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FArtificial-Pancreas-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.youtube.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5) Chatbot struggles\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Chatbots have the potential to free up time for GPs by responding to simpler medical questions, making sense of health data or supporting medication management. \u003Cstrong>The general idea is that in the future, patients will not contact physicians or nurses or any medical professional with every one of their health questions but turn to chatbots first. After the little medical helper cannot comfortably respond to the raised issues, it will transfer the case to a real-life doctor\u003C\u002Fstrong>. It seems that the youngest generation is already comfortable with the idea: a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpharmaphorum.com\u002Fnews\u002Fgeneration-z-happy-to-be-diagnosed-by-chatbots\u002F\">survey involving “Generation Z” from Roche UK showed\u003C\u002Fa> that nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of surveyed 16-24-year-olds said they would be okay with being diagnosed by a chatbot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Several similar digital solutions are on the market: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.messenger.com\u002Ft\u002Fizzyperiod\">Izzy\u003C\u002Fa> helps women track their period and serves as a birth control pill reminder. Bots like HealthTap, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fada.com\u002F\">Ada Health\u003C\u002Fa>, Your.Md aim to help patients find a solution to the most common symptoms through A.I. One of India’s top pharma companies, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftech.economictimes.indiatimes.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology\u002Flupin-launches-first-chatbot-for-patients-to-know-about-their-ailments\u002F66768951\">Lupin, launched a chatbot named ‘ANYA’\u003C\u002Fa> designed to provide medically verified information for health-related queries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, \u003Cstrong>2018 was about the struggles of the first experiences with chatbots instead of successes.\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.babylonhealth.com\u002F\">Babylon Health\u003C\u002Fa>, one of the new breed of paid, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F04\u002Fone-consultation-was-enough-to-sell-me-on-online-doctors\u002F\">doctor-on-demand services\u003C\u002Fa> partnered with the NHS in two projects. Some patients in London can sign up to use the app’s video consultations to communicate with a doctor instead of registering with the traditional GP service, while Babylon also delivers a telephone advice service called NHS 111 in north London. However, it was reported \u003Cstrong>late last year that some pilots in North West London were dropped as patients participating in the trial indicated that they would play the system to get an appointment with the doctor quicker. In July 2018, \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ft.com\u002Fcontent\u002F19dc6b7e-8529-11e8-96dd-fa565ec55929\">\u003Cstrong>it was announced\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> that Babylon Health faces regulatory scrutiny after complaints from doctors, who warn it can miss signs of serious illness.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Babylon Health’s other claim that its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.itpro.co.uk\u002Fbots\u002F31401\u002Fdoctors-reject-ai-chatbot-that-is-more-accurate-than-a-gp\">chatbot is being able to diagnose medical conditions as accurately as a GP was also contested\u003C\u002Fa> by physicians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These phenomena indicate that neither doctors nor patients do have trust in health chatbots yet and need reassurance. If they are patients, that should come from a medical professional and if they are GPs, from evidence and conviction that chatbots are accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot.png\" alt=\"Google in healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-20750\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F06\u002F012_health_chatbot-444x250.png 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>6) FDA embracing digital health \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been proactive throughout the past 12 months in welcoming the latest digital health tech solutions and incorporating them cautiously into the practice of mainstream medicine\u003C\u002Fstrong>. For example, as already mentioned before, in June, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medscape.com\u002Fviewarticle\u002F898453\">organization has extended its approval of the MiniMed artificial pancreas system\u003C\u002Fa>. Also, the FDA announced the release of an at-home gene test that checks for three mutations associated with breast and ovarian cancer. As a direct-to-consumer test is affordable and can be obtained without a doctor’s permission, more people would be able to test themselves for common risks without the barrier of cost or access to the right facilities. The regulatory agency also approved Spark Therapeutics’ one-time gene therapy, for the treatment of patients with vision loss due to an inherited retinal disease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Regarding artificial intelligence, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F10-exciting-digital-health-stories-2017\">Arterys built the first deep learning algorithm for cardiac imaging, approved by the FDA in 2017\u003C\u002Fa>. Already a year later, the agency cleared another 12 smart algorithms in healthcare. For example, Viz.ai, that analyzes CT results and tries to assess whether the patient has any signs of stroke or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdreamed-diabetes.com\u002F\">DreaMed\u003C\u002Fa> which is a diabetes treatment decision support product that analyzes data from continuous glucose monitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nonetheless, \u003Cstrong>one of the biggest news came in October when \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.novarad.net\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Novarad’s OpenSight Augmented Reality System\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> received \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accessdata.fda.gov\u002Fcdrh_docs\u002Fpdf17\u002FK172418.pdf\">\u003Cstrong>FDA clearance\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> for\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> pre-operative surgical planning using the tech company’s AR headset. With the system, physicians can see both the 3D patient image from previous scans as well as the patient physically in front of them\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The tool could be used as an aid for surgical planning and going through a complex procedure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22534\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FFDA-And-Digital-Health.png\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-22534\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FFDA-And-Digital-Health.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FFDA-And-Digital-Health-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FFDA-And-Digital-Health-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FFDA-And-Digital-Health-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.fdli.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>7) CRISPR and the potentials of gene editing\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The issue of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-can-you-achieve-with-crispr-therapy\">gene editing with all its legal, ethical and biological consequences\u003C\u002Fa>, with its potential to alter the lives of future generations, has to be taken seriously. Everyone was reminded on that when the most significant piece of news came a couple of days ago. A Chinese scientist \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.telegraph.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F26\u002Fchinese-scientist-creates-worlds-first-genetically-edited-babies\u002F\">claims to have modified the very blueprint of life, the DNA code of two babies\u003C\u002Fa> to try to bestow them a trait that few people naturally have – an ability to resist possible future infection with HIV, the Aids virus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As in many countries, including the US and the UK, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2018\u002Fnov\u002F28\u002Fscientist-in-china-defends-human-embryo-gene-editing\">it is illegal to create genetically modified babies, and scientists in the field have reached a broad consensus\u003C\u002Fa> that it would be profoundly unethical to try, the scientific community stands united in condemning the experiment. \u003Cstrong>Genome editing is not considered as safe, and any genetic modifications – whether beneficial or unintentionally harmful – affect not only the child but their children and future generations.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Jennifer Doudna, professor of chemistry and molecular & cell biology at UC Berkeley and co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.berkeley.edu\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F26\u002Fdoudna-responds-to-claim-of-first-crispr-edited-babies\u002F\">announced\u003C\u002Fa> that human germline editing should not proceed at the present time. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Institute \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F27\u002Fopinion\u002Fgenetically-edited-babies-china.html\">said the Chinese scientist went too far\u003C\u002Fa> and it’s way too early to use the CRISPR method on humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, research efforts are underway with regards to other species or gene therapies for adult patients with inherited genetic diseases. For example, researchers in Oxford’s Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.ox.ac.uk\u002Fresearch\u002Fresearch-impact\u002Frestoring-sight-gene-therapy\">help restore eyesight to patients with genetic vision defects\u003C\u002Fa>. One of the methods is to inject working genes into the back of the eye. In the case of mosquitos, experts \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhealth-technologies-to-eradicate-insects-transmitting-deadly-diseases\">want to „make” the insects entirely resistant to the parasite that causes malaria. Testing might start within 4-5 years\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22535\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"491\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FCRISPR_Gene-Editing.jpg\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-22535\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FCRISPR_Gene-Editing.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FCRISPR_Gene-Editing-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FCRISPR_Gene-Editing-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FCRISPR_Gene-Editing-512x289.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.verdict.co.uk\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>8) Deep learning in medicine: the battle of A.I. and humans continue\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the assumed battle between artificial intelligence and mankind, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created an excellent visualization tool to see whether smart algorithms or humans are better in providing healthcare solutions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There’s no question about the continuous advancement of deep learning algorithms, especially in medical imaging. In April, a group of German scientists and their colleagues showed these systems are better than experienced dermatologists at \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Feurekalert.org\u002Fpub_releases\u002F2018-05\u002Fesfm-mam052418.php\">detecting skin cancer\u003C\u002Fa>. In another study, researchers found that commercial software for automatically classifying breast density, and thus detecting breast cancer, can perform on par with human radiologists. What’s more, in the same month, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fthe-human-os\u002Fbiomedical\u002Fimaging\u002Fmedical-imaging-ai-software-vulnerable-to-covert-attacks\">the FDA approved the first AI system\u003C\u002Fa> that can be used for medical diagnosis without the input of a human clinician. Researchers in the Personal Genome Diagnostics in Baltimore announced in September that they have developed a new method involving machine learning that automates the tumor DNA diagnostic process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At the same time, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fthe-human-os\u002Fbiomedical\u002Fimaging\u002Fmedical-imaging-ai-software-vulnerable-to-covert-attacks\">Harvard Medical School researchers demonstrated\u003C\u002Fa> that A.I. systems meant to analyze medical images are vulnerable to attacks. The experts modified the pixels within some medical images waiting for classification. That amount of modification might seem like a minimal amount of noise to humans but tricked the algorithms into classifying these pictures incorrectly. The scientists noted their attacks could make deep learning systems misclassify images up to 100 percent of the time, and that modified images were imperceptible from real ones to the human eye. That’s incredibly worrying and shows how vulnerable smart algorithms are – when it comes to phenomena outside of their scope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image.jpg\" alt=\"digital health technologies\" class=\"wp-image-17943\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F05\u002Fai-doctor-image-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>2018 was yet again a great and turbulent year in science and healthcare. As nothing is certain except for the fact that more and more medical innovations will come next year, we can only promise that whatever happens, The Medical Futurist team will continue to cover every exciting development in health technology on every single one of our channels and provide the much-needed context in order to step into the future well-informed and confident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Instead of mind-boggling inventions, 2018 was the year when national governments, as well as healthcare regulators, started to embrace digital health technologies at scale. The year when Google, Amazon, Apple or Microsoft competed head-to-head for the biggest chunks on the healthcare market, and when the buzzword of the year award went to the blockchain. Here’s our guide to the top digital health stories from last year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,22563,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31],521,[33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53],289,904,425,1166,1167,533,1168,134,548,144,570,168,636,203,791,207,816,236,827,246,902,[],[],[57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70],1723,1789,1883,2405,1571,2917,1617,2919,1619,3825,1631,1681,1683,1709,[72,14,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99],"post-22530","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-medicine","tag-innovation","tag-gene-editing","tag-technology-2","tag-digital-health-technologies","tag-digital-health-stories","tag-artificial-pancreas","tag-smart-algorithm","tag-ai","tag-healthcare-policy","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-crispr","tag-chatbot","tag-deep-learning","tag-diabetes","tag-791","tag-digital-health","tag-blockchain","tag-fda-2","tag-health-policy","tag-future","tag-health-chatbot",{"id":24,"alt_text":101,"caption":27,"description":101,"media_type":102,"media_details":103,"post":5,"source_url":143},"TMF, DNA, genes, doctor, genetics, test","image",{"width":104,"height":105,"file":106,"sizes":107,"image_meta":140},870,489,"2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02.png",{"medium":108,"large":114,"thumbnail":119,"medium_large":123,"large_old_512x288":124,"thumbnail_old_150x150":129,"medium_old_370x208":131,"medium_large_old_768x432":134,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":137},{"file":109,"width":110,"height":111,"mime-type":112,"source_url":113},"056_topstories_02-370x208.png",370,208,"image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02-370x208.png",{"file":115,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":112,"source_url":118},"056_topstories_02-768x432.png",768,432,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02-768x432.png",{"file":120,"width":121,"height":121,"mime-type":112,"source_url":122},"056_topstories_02-150x150.png",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02-150x150.png",{"file":115,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":112,"source_url":118},{"file":125,"width":126,"height":127,"mime-type":112,"source_url":128},"056_topstories_02-512x288.png",512,288,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02-512x288.png",{"file":120,"width":130,"height":130,"mime-type":112,"source_url":122},"150",{"file":109,"width":132,"height":133,"mime-type":112,"source_url":113},"370","208",{"file":115,"width":135,"height":136,"mime-type":112,"source_url":118},"768","432",{"file":125,"width":138,"height":139,"mime-type":112,"source_url":128},"512","288",{"aperture":141,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":141,"copyright":27,"focal_length":141,"iso":141,"shutter_speed":141,"title":27,"orientation":141,"keywords":142},"0",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F056_topstories_02.png",{"related_posts":145,"related_posts_footer":149,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[146,147,148],16849,16928,16952,[150,151,152],16977,17293,17208,{"yoast_wpseo_title":154,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":155,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"Top Digital Health Stories of 2018: From Amazon And Google To Gene-Edited Babies - The Medical Futurist","2018 was the year when governments embraced digital health technologies at scale. Just one example from our digital health guide to last year. Read on!",{"self":157,"collection":163,"about":166,"author":169,"replies":172,"version-history":175,"predecessor-version":179,"wp:featuredmedia":183,"wp:attachment":186,"wp:term":189,"curies":205},[158],{"href":159,"targetHints":160},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22530",{"allow":161},[162],"GET",[164],{"href":165},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[167],{"href":168},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[170],{"embeddable":26,"href":171},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[173],{"embeddable":26,"href":174},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=22530",[176],{"count":177,"href":178},19,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22530\u002Frevisions",[180],{"id":181,"href":182},46534,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22530\u002Frevisions\u002F46534",[184],{"embeddable":26,"href":185},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F22563",[187],{"href":188},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=22530",[190,193,196,199,202],{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":192},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=22530",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":195},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=22530",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":198},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=22530",{"taxonomy":200,"embeddable":26,"href":201},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=22530",{"taxonomy":203,"embeddable":26,"href":204},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=22530",[206],{"name":207,"href":208,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[210],{"id":152,"date":211,"date_gmt":212,"guid":213,"modified":215,"modified_gmt":216,"slug":217,"status":13,"type":14,"link":218,"title":219,"content":221,"excerpt":223,"author":23,"featured_media":225,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":226,"categories":227,"tags":229,"project_category":235,"contact_email_category":236,"yst_prominent_words":237,"class_list":245,"better_featured_image":253,"acf":278,"yoast_meta":287,"_links":289},"2018-02-15T11:00:20","2018-02-15T09:00:20",{"rendered":214},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=17208","2022-05-19T12:27:14","2022-05-19T10:27:14","what-the-hell-is-blockchain-what-does-it-mean-for-healthcare-and-pharma","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-the-hell-is-blockchain-what-does-it-mean-for-healthcare-and-pharma",{"rendered":220},"What The Hell Is Blockchain And What Does It Mean For Healthcare And Pharma?",{"rendered":222,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Blockchain already earned the buzzword of the year award, so it is high time to address the elephant in the room. Is it really there? If it is, will it really change everything? How will it impact healthcare? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Blockchain: More transformative than Trump on Twitter\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Don Tapscott, author of the book entitled \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FBlockchain-Revolution-Technology-Changing-Business\u002Fdp\u002F151135769X\">Blockchain Revolution\u003C\u002Fa> said in his superb, no-frills \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ted.com\u002Ftalks\u002Fdon_tapscott_how_the_blockchain_is_changing_money_and_business?language=hu#t-1116028\">TED Talk\u003C\u002Fa> that blockchain is the technology that is likely to have the greatest impact on the next few decades. No, it’s not social media. No, it’s not big data, not robotics, not even artificial intelligence. It’s the technology behind the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Stop there for a moment. So, blockchain will have more transformative power on our lives than Facebook, Instagram and Donald Trump using Twitter for diplomacy? How? Why? When? Is that true or is it another bubble shaping up in front of our eyes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When looking at how fast companies in various industries are adopting blockchain, the latter question is certainly worth considering. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fworldwide-blockchain-technology-market-is-anticipated-to-exhibit-a-cagr-of-587-between-2016-and-2024-elimination-of-third-parties-improves-demand-and-security-of-online-transactions--tmr-611067345.html\">Transparency Market Research\u003C\u002Fa>, the global blockchain technology market is expected to be worth $20 billion(!) by the end of 2024 as compared to $315.9 million in 2015. The overall market is anticipated to exhibit a 58.7 percent annual growth between 2016 and 2024. Moving faster than Elon Musk’s red Tesla Roadster in space. And the drivers of this massive expansion are innovators, start-ups, bold companies in finance, retail and manufacturing, government – and healthcare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Due to blockchain’s ties to cryptocurrencies, most people believe that the financial system will adopt the technology soonest, but \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ibm.com\u002Fblogs\u002Fthink\u002F2017\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-healthcare\u002F\">healthcare’s speed of leveraging blockchain seems to actually surpass it\u003C\u002Fa>. A new IBM Institute for Business Value blockchain study, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww-01.ibm.com\u002Fcommon\u002Fssi\u002Fcgi-bin\u002Fssialias?htmlfid=GBE03790USEN\">\u003Cem>Healthcare Rallies for Blockchain\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>, surveyed 200 healthcare executives in 16 countries. They found that 16 percent aren’t just experimenting; they expect to have a commercial blockchain solution at scale in 2017. Moreover, according to IBM’s estimation, another 56 percent will follow the first adopters until 2020. That means within 2 years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, it is high time to have a look at how and why the technology behind Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency in a great part powering criminals trading on the darknet could become the cornerstone of future healthcare. More briefly, let’s see what the hell blockchain is!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What The Hell Is Blockchain And What Does It Mean For Healthcare And Pharma? - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FE1wcvcta6zw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Blockchain is the new word for trust online\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>On the Internet, nobody knows that you’re a dog\u003C\u002Fem>. Although Peter Steiner’s cartoon drawn for The New Yorker in 1993 is mostly associated with the issue of anonymity on the Internet, it highlights deeper problems in relation to trust, credibility, security, and privacy. In the era of fake news and online scam, it does not come as a surprise to anyone that it is difficult to secure information, communication processes or trade online. And it is especially important in case of such sensitive information as money or healthcare data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In case of money, trust and credibility have long been established by central intermediaries, such as banks and other types of middlemen. You transfer money via your online bank account knowing it’s safe and secure because you trust the financial institution behind it. And in the case of online transactions, there has been another problem for which trustworthy intermediaries have meant the solution for years. The problem of duplications. When you send an e-mail with an attached cat photo, the image will automatically be copied. So, how do you make sure that doesn’t happen with your money? That the well-earned dollars that you spend on books will actually disappear from your bank account and appear on Amazon’s. In the case of digital assets like money, stocks or intellectual property, not to speak about electronic health records, authentication and accountability are key elements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Still, middlemen such as banks are too slow. And too expensive. While an e-mail arrives in seconds in another person’s mailbox, an international transfer could take several days, even weeks. And it is not even that secure, as it could be hacked more easily due to the banks’ centralized nature. As a response to all these issues, Satoshi Nakamoto, a mysterious Japanese programmer or a group, worked out the world’s first digital currency, Bitcoin and its underlying, supporting system, the blockchain. Since then, several types and modified versions of the technology appeared. As \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.economist.com\u002Fnews\u002Fleaders\u002F21677198-technology-behind-bitcoin-could-transform-how-economy-works-trust-machine\">The Economist explained\u003C\u002Fa>, blockchain enables an economy where trust is established not by central intermediaries but through consensus and complex computer code. It lets people who have no particular confidence in each other collaborate without having to go through a neutral central authority. Simply put, it is a machine for creating trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"619\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-the-trust-machine.jpg\" alt=\"Blockchain in Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-17212\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-the-trust-machine.jpg 619w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-the-trust-machine-512x342.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-the-trust-machine-375x250.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 619px) 100vw, 619px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Blockchain is like a scarf knitted by your grandmother\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The concept and the operation of the technology are rather difficult, but it is perhaps easier to imagine with a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newyorker.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2017\u002F12\u002F18\u002Festonia-the-digital-republic\">nicely-put metaphor by The New Yorker’s Nathan Heller\u003C\u002Fa>. In his article about Estonia as a digital republic, he said that a blockchain is like the digital version of a scarf knitted by your grandmother. She uses one ball of yarn, and the result is continuous. Each stitch depends on the one just before it. It’s impossible to remove part of the fabric, or to substitute a swatch without leaving some trace: a few telling knots, or a change in the knit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When The Medical Futurist asked Ivo Lohmus from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fguardtime.com\u002F\">Guardtime\u003C\u002Fa>, an Estonian company developing K.S.I. blockchain technology, he said it is to be imagined as a shared book of records, or in more technical terms, a distributed database that’s designed in such a smart way that whatever is added to this database, that’s immutable. As if it’s carved into stone. Any change becomes immediately evident. Another aspect of the system is that there is no central authority to decide what’s right or wrong. The participants need to come to a consensus, to articulate some shared view of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There are several methods for making a decision about a new entry based on the particular consensus, Medium’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fblockchain-review\u002Fhow-does-the-blockchain-work-for-dummies-explained-simply-9f94d386e093\">Collin Thompson explains\u003C\u002Fa> the proof of work process used by Bitcoin as the following: when a digital transaction is carried out, it is grouped together in a cryptographically protected block with other transactions that have occurred in the last 10 minutes and sent out to the entire network. Miners (members in the network with high levels of computing power) then compete to validate the transactions by solving complex coded problems. The first miner to solve the problems and validate the block receives a reward. The validated block of transactions is then timestamped and added to a chain in a chronological order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>New blocks of validated transactions are linked to older blocks, making a chain or blocks that show every transaction made in the history of that blockchain. The entire chain is continually updated so that every database in the network is the same, giving each member the ability to prove who owns what at any given time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks.jpg\" alt=\"Blockchain In Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-17213\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-blocks-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The benefits of blockchain\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The technology has numerous benefits for online transactions, especially in the field of digital assets, such as health data. Blockchain’s time-sensitive nature allows any data to move around in that particular format only once in the network. The blocks are impossible to change; only new entries can be added to the network. This is critical in case of health data. Just imagine what might happen if someone could change a patient’s blood type in the health record system without anyone noticing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Ivo Lohmus said that many times, as in the case of the K.S.I blockchain which is used for the Estonian medical records system, the blockchain does not directly deal with the data. Through the cryptographic process, a unique identifier of the data, a hash, is created, which functions similarly to the biological fingerprint. While you can identify anyone based on his or her fingerprint, you cannot “reconstruct” the whole person. And finally, as the blockchain is based on the consensus of network participants, access to data can be linked to permission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Beyond ensuring authentication and credibility, blockchain also \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fblockchain-review\u002Fhow-does-the-blockchain-work-for-dummies-explained-simply-9f94d386e093\">brings unprecedented security benefits\u003C\u002Fa>. Hacking attacks that commonly impact large, centralized intermediaries like banks would be virtually impossible to pull off on the blockchain. For example — if someone wanted to hack into a particular block in a blockchain, a hacker would not only need to hack into that specific block, but all of the proceeding blocks going back the entire history of that blockchain. And they would need to do it on every ledger in the network, which could be millions, simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-security.jpg\" alt=\"Blockchain In Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-17214\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-security.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-security-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-security-512x347.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-security-369x250.jpg 369w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Blockchain in healthcare – Long instead of big data\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Blockchain has immense potential in healthcare. According to the IBM Institute for Business Value blockchain study, new adopters of the technology expect the greatest blockchain benefits across time, cost, and risk in three areas: clinical trial records, regulatory compliance, and medical\u002Fhealth records.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It is capable of transforming the entire system of medical records, just as Estonia has already done. In March 2017, the Baltic country’s \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fpwc.blogs.com\u002Fhealth_matters\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Festonia-prescribes-blockchain-for-healthcare-data-security.html\">eHealth Authority signed a deal\u003C\u002Fa> with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fguardtime.com\u002F\">Guardtime\u003C\u002Fa> to secure the health records of over a million Estonians. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpatientory.com\u002F\">Patientory\u003C\u002Fa>, a start-up helping hospitals to secure their patient data while enabling patients to follow the fate of their own data, has urged the British government “to get behind a blockchain-enabled national IT health system” at the time of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-nhs-ransomware-attack-data-privacy-in-digital-health-part-one\u002F\">NHS ransomware attack\u003C\u002Fa>. If there were political will and comprehensive financial support, other countries could also follow Estonia’s as well as Dubai’s lead. The latter has also started to test blockchain technology for securing its electronic medical records.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Due to its time-sensitive nature, blockchains shift the lens from disparate bits of information held by a single owner, to the lifetime history of an asset. Instead of big data, capturing long-term data becomes more easily possible. And that’s exactly why it is the perfect solution when we need to document a patient’s health record to set up reliable vaccine registries or to secure the movement of drugs through the supply chain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"377\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fe-estonia.jpg\" alt=\"Blockchain In Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-17215\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fe-estonia.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fe-estonia-768x333.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fe-estonia-512x222.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fe-estonia-458x198.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Blockchain in pharma\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The issue of counterfeit medicines, as the dark side of networked markets and globalization, has \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pharmaceutical-technology.com\u002Ffeatures\u002Fblockchain-pharma-opportunities-supply-chain\u002F\">become increasingly pressing, both in terms of the economic cost of this global black market and the risk to human life\u003C\u002Fa> that comes from taking counterfeit drugs. In many developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America, counterfeit drugs comprise between 10 percent and 30 percent of the total medicines on sale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Cindy Greatrex, Vice President of The National Alliance of Research Associates Programs remarked that for combatting fake pharmaceuticals a solution needs to be employed that stops the counterfeits from contaminating the supply chain. The best solution is to track pharmaceuticals so that digital systems linked to medication moving in the physical world are established. This is important because when you have a unique digital reference to a drug and a physical copy of that drug, it is much harder to erase or duplicate one without the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Blockchain offers security through transparency. It might work as follows: barcode-tagged drugs could be scanned and entered into secure digital blocks whenever they change hands. This ongoing real-time record could be viewed anytime by authorized parties and even patients at the far end of the supply chain. This would make it much more difficult for criminal networks to sell their counterfeit drugs on the market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, the advantages of blockchain for pharma does not stop there. Drug developers running clinical trials might be able to share clinical data and medical samples more securely. And while blockchain underpins the digital currencies demanded in ransomware attacks, the technology could also play a role in securing sensitive industry data from malicious attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-in-pharma.jpg\" alt=\"Blockchain in Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-17216\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-in-pharma.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-in-pharma-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-in-pharma-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fblockchain-in-pharma-333x250.jpg 333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It’s clear that blockchain will have a massive impact on dealing with healthcare data. It’s also worth looking at news about blockchain differently than those related to Bitcoin. The blockchain is a technology, Bitcoin is a product of it. As it is going to be more and more widespread in the future, we’ll keep on writing about the many ways blockchain can support healthcare and pharma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthemedicalfuturist.us8.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe?u=5b42ebb547c75ff669a6572d3&id=efd6a3cd08\">\u003Cb>Subscribe To The Medical Futurist℠ Newsletter\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>News shaping the future of healthcare\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Advice on taking charge of your health\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Reviews of the latest health technology\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n",{"rendered":224,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Blockchain already earned the buzzword of the year award, so it is high time to address the elephant in the room. Is it really there? If it is, will it really change everything? How will it impact healthcare? \u003C\u002Fp>\n",17226,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[228],799,[230,231,33,232,233,35,49,234,52],271,275,313,356,817,[],[],[238,239,240,241,59,242,62,243,244,69],1693,1719,1729,1795,2915,2927,1625,[246,14,73,74,75,76,77,247,248,249,79,250,251,81,95,252,98],"post-17208","category-security-privacy","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-medicine","tag-pharma-2","tag-security",{"id":225,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":102,"media_details":254,"post":152,"source_url":277},{"width":104,"height":105,"file":255,"sizes":256,"image_meta":275},"2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1.png",{"medium":257,"large":260,"thumbnail":263,"medium_large":266,"large_old_512x288":267,"medium_old_444x250":270},{"file":258,"width":110,"height":111,"mime-type":112,"source_url":259},"dqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-370x208.png",{"file":261,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":112,"source_url":262},"dqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-768x432.png",{"file":264,"width":121,"height":121,"mime-type":112,"source_url":265},"dqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-150x150.png",{"file":261,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":112,"source_url":262},{"file":268,"width":126,"height":127,"mime-type":112,"source_url":269},"dqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-512x288.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-512x288.png",{"file":271,"width":272,"height":273,"mime-type":112,"source_url":274},"dqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-444x250.png",444,250,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1-444x250.png",{"aperture":141,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":141,"copyright":27,"focal_length":141,"iso":141,"shutter_speed":141,"title":27,"orientation":141,"keywords":276},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fdqmrg8amjxdlwugm7pxvxpvevhz5ehigqfmrsr8lntjrasl-1.png",{"related_posts":279,"related_posts_footer":283,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[280,281,282],17644,17522,17427,[284,285,286],13095,17254,20749,{"yoast_wpseo_title":220,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":288,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":218},"Is blockchain only a buzzword or does it have a real potential to transform medicine. The Medical Futurist analyzes blockchain in healthcare.",{"self":290,"collection":295,"about":297,"author":299,"replies":301,"version-history":304,"predecessor-version":308,"wp:featuredmedia":312,"wp:attachment":315,"wp:term":318,"curies":329},[291],{"href":292,"targetHints":293},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17208",{"allow":294},[162],[296],{"href":165},[298],{"href":168},[300],{"embeddable":26,"href":171},[302],{"embeddable":26,"href":303},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=17208",[305],{"count":306,"href":307},14,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17208\u002Frevisions",[309],{"id":310,"href":311},46169,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F17208\u002Frevisions\u002F46169",[313],{"embeddable":26,"href":314},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F17226",[316],{"href":317},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=17208",[319,321,323,325,327],{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":320},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=17208",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":322},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=17208",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":324},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=17208",{"taxonomy":200,"embeddable":26,"href":326},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=17208",{"taxonomy":203,"embeddable":26,"href":328},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=17208",[330],{"name":207,"href":208,"templated":26},[],1788949257728]