Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
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Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
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Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#2I think the term "consumer base" is not heartless but in fact pretty accurate.
Why not spending the probably huge amount of money in a cure instead of monitoring devices ?
Well, because why kill the Golden Egg Goose ? Millions of people who have to take pills every day are good recurent money. If you cure them, no more cash.
(Well it's the middle of the night, I can't sleep and fill a little bit bitter...)
One more thing. I'm a bit scared with all the private companies collecting personal medical datas. But maybe I've read too much science fiction.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#3Research labs have been trying this for years with every spectroscopy known to man - the signal is just too weak. I don't see any reason to think Apple has figured something out that labs of optics experts can't do on the benchtop.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#4Research labs have been trying this for years with every spectroscopy known to man - the signal is just too weak. I don't see any reason to think Apple has figured something out that labs of optics experts can't do on the benchtop.
I think machine learning coupled with increase in sensitivity of the signals could make a difference.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#5I think the term "consumer base" is not heartless but in fact pretty accurate. Why not spending the probably huge amount of money in a cure instead of monitoring devices ? Well, because why kill the Golden Egg Goose ? Millions of people who have to take pills every day are good recurent money. If you cure them, no more cash. (Well it's the middle of the night, I can't sleep and fill a little bit bitter...) One more t…
Agreed about private companies and collecting of data, but in the case of Apple, none of your HealthKit data is transmitted (it's all stored on your iPhone and/or Apple Watch).
Any app that reads/writes HealthKit data is required to provide a privacy policy before it passes App Store approval.
Additionally, apps can only access that data after a full-screen permissions screen is displayed, and the user manually toggles on the categories of Health data that the app can access.
In my experience, the bar for getting apps that use HealthKit is at least slightly higher than for non-HealthKit apps.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#6As a type 1 diabetic I'm super excited to see apple working in this space, even if they're focusing it on type 2 to start (a logical move, considering there is something like 30x more type 2 diabetics in the US). I think making it easier to track glucose levels in real time is the number one thing that can be done to improve quality of life for both types of diabetics.
The "CGM" (continuous glucose monitor) has really come into it's own over the last 10 or so years, and I would encourage all diabetics (but especially type 1) to use one. Currently the only 2 real options on the market are:
- http://www.dexcom.com/ - Connects directly to your phone using bluetooth and will send glucose warnings etc as notifications.
- https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/enlite-sensor - Designed to work with Medtronic (who is a market leader) insulin pumps.
Both these options are expensive (even with insurance for many), invasive, and not really tailored towards "casual" glucose monitoring. I think if Apple enters the space with a non-invasive tool it'll be a huge boon for causal glucose monitoring. I also think it could be a more accessible option for people who are interested using a CGM to treat their diabetes but can't/won't use one of the existing options due to cost or inconvenience.
This seems like a win win and I'm excited to see where it goes.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#7One of the linked articles has some more technical details on how non-invasive blood sugar measurement works (for the GlucoWise device currently in development):
The glucose levels are extracted by a non-invasive technique which transmits low-power radio waves through a section of the human body, such as the area between the thumb and forefinger or the earlobe. These areas have adequate blood supply and are thin enough for waves to pass through the tissue. These signals are then received by a sensor on the opposite side of the GlucoWise device, where the data about the characteristics of the blood within the flesh are collected and analysed.
The other non-invasive technique that has received a lot of press is, of course, Google/Novartis' contact lens. That device measures blood sugar from tears.
Most other blood sugar measurement systems require either blood draws from a pin prick or a sensor attached to your body that measures sugar content in the subcutaneous fluid as a proxy for blood sugar.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#8Research labs have been trying this for years with every spectroscopy known to man - the signal is just too weak. I don't see any reason to think Apple has figured something out that labs of optics experts can't do on the benchtop.
Just consider Apple as yet another lab of optics experts, but with 100x the funding, 10y of material science advancements, and years instead of months of dedicated effort. It's not that hard to believe that this team could finally succeed.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#9I think the term "consumer base" is not heartless but in fact pretty accurate. Why not spending the probably huge amount of money in a cure instead of monitoring devices ? Well, because why kill the Golden Egg Goose ? Millions of people who have to take pills every day are good recurent money. If you cure them, no more cash. (Well it's the middle of the night, I can't sleep and fill a little bit bitter...) One more t…
I think this idea is pretty odd. If someone had a cure for diabetes, you'd bet they'd charge an arm and a leg for it. The patents alone would be incredibly valuable.
From a non-monetary standpoint, dehumanizing companies is always a bit frustrating. They consist of people, like you and me. Most people aren't sociopaths and the idea that business leaders are entirely sociopathic is worth challenging. I don't think most people would want to withhold a cure for recurring revenue. Charge for it, yes, but not withhold it.
Re: Apple Monitoring Blood Glucose
#10Research labs have been trying this for years with every spectroscopy known to man - the signal is just too weak. I don't see any reason to think Apple has figured something out that labs of optics experts can't do on the benchtop.
I think machine learning coupled with increase in sensitivity of the signals could make a difference.
Why would machine learning be able to overcome a lack of statistical power?