TECHNOLOGY
“ This is the FDA acknowledging the old guidance for how software technology is regulated wasn ’ t working , and couldn ’ t keep up with the pace of innovation ”
– Howard Look , founder of the non-profit open-data start-up Tidepool
Back in 2015 , Apple CEO Tim Cook bemoaned the FDA process , saying that its cycles were too long and hindered innovation and development . Apple has been keen to make further headway in the healthcare space using its Healthkit developer framework so , in May , when Cook was spotted wearing an Apple Watch glucose monitor it hinted at what we may see the company release via the pilot programme .
Fitbit recently teamed up with Dexcom – a manufacturer of continuous glucose monitoring ( CGM ) systems for diabetes management . Johnson & Johnson has a longstanding presence in this arena with products like OneTouch , Lifescan and Animas . Roche ( like J & J ) offers a variety of diagnostic tools but its involvement is significant given the Accu-Chek developments and recent acquisition of the mySugr platform for diabetes data . The South Korean electronics giant Samsung has become active in healthcare too , notably partnering with Medtronic to develop next-gen smartwatch connectivity . Verily ( formerly Google Life Sciences ) is Google ’ s health spin-off currently working on a smart lens program for ocular devices to correct age-related farsightedness . Phosphorous is focused on the better understanding of the human genome to bridge the gap between DNA and good health .
Howard Look , founder of the non-profit open-data start-up
20 November 2017