Intelligence gathering using AI in healthcare
Anastasia Lit, co-founder of the Dubai-based health tech consultancy TechPharus, talks about how artificial intelligence (AI) is penetrating the healthcare industry (840 words, 4 minutes)
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During the 2023 National Pharma Congress Winter Webinar on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, the speakers discussed the world of AI and its many applications in the life sciences. During the next three weeks, NPC Healthbiz Weekly will summarize each presentation by the panel of experts. Here is the first installment.
According to guest speaker Anastasia Lit, AI has the potential to transform the life sciences industry. During her presentation, she mentioned how the healthcare industry has struggled to make sense of the copious amounts of medical information that is available in the digital age. Between electronic health records, diagnostic images, research studies, and genetic information, it can be difficult to access, analyze, and use this information effectively. In her opinion, this is where AI would come into play.
Lit mentioned AI is already being used is medical and diagnostic imaging. She said that sophisticated intelligence-gathering can identify previously unavailable patterns and generate diagnostic insights. She added that machine learning algorithms can analyze medical images to help identify potential issues or abnormalities that might not be obvious at first examination. This can lead to faster and more accurate diagnoses, resulting in improved patient care and personalized treatment plans.
Lit [pictured below] also noted that AI is being used in telemedicine and wearable biotech. She said the rapid development of this particular technology can be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which limited in-person visits to hospitals and clinics. She adds that telemedicine and telehealth are convenient and effective ways to deliver care. At the same time, wearable biotech can be used to monitor patients from a distance, allowing for more frequent check-ins.
Lit said AI is also being used in drug discovery to identify potential new drug candidates. She said AI can analyze datasets of chemical compounds and compare them to known drug targets, helping researchers to identify new molecules that might have therapeutic potential. As an example, she mentioned the UK-based startup Receptor.AI, which combines the paradigms of AI with precision medicine. This approach accelerates the drug discovery process and can lead to new treatments for patients.
However, Lit also acknowledged that there are challenges to using AI in healthcare. For instance, many patients and physicians fear AI may lead to a lack of privacy. For this reason, it is critical to ensure patient data security, particularly given the sensitive nature of medical information. Medical professionals also fear that AI could replace current jobs quickly, so there is a need for continued human oversight and ongoing research to ensure that AI is being developed and used ethically, she said. Additionally, AI technologies can be costly to implement.
According to Lit, with the help of intelligent analytics, automated diagnostics and disease detection, personalized treatments, and intelligent drug prescription, healthcare could become more accessible and affordable to more people.
THIS WEEK 05/02/23
The U.S. FDA has approved Biogen’s tofersen (Qalsody ) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in adult patients who have a mutation in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene.
Pfizer announced that the U.S. FDA has approved their 20-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (Prevnar 20) for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease caused by 20 pneumococcal serotypes in infants, as well as for the prevention of otitis media in pediatric patients between six weeks and five years of age.
Endo International has entered an agreement with Slayback Pharma to distribute neostigmine methylsulfate and glycopyrrolate injection (Prevduo) in the U.S.
Takeda announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted for review their Biologics License Application resubmission for the investigational subcutaneous administration of vedolizumab (Entyvio). Entyvio is intended for maintenance therapy in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis after they have undergone induction therapy with Entyvio intravenous.
LISTEN NOW
In season nine of the NPC Podcast, Anastasia Lit, Co-founder of TechPharus, talks about using AI to enhance medical care and research, the rapid development of software and AI technologies, and how AI is transforming the labour market. Hear her in conversation with podcast hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea and Mark McElwain.
HEALTHBIZ REWIND
This new feature of NPC Healthbiz Weekly looks back at some of the most insightful moments from previous NPC Podcast episodes. In Healthbiz Rewind, you’ll read bold life sci predictions made during the popular Prognostication Korner segment of the NPC Podcast.
Angelina Brathwaite
Toronto
Ambry Genetics
Season 8, episode 08
Listen to this episode here
What bold predictions will you make about the life sciences industry during the coming 12 to 24 months?
From a talent perspective, I think companies will do a mix of remote and hybrid work. I believe a different generation is coming into leadership, and a new generation will start working, so there will be significant changes. I know that the new generation is focused on social and corporate responsibilities, and I think that’s a good thing.
I [also] believe there is going to be more attention to personalized medicine, so we can treat patients better. I think companies are going to focus on skill sets and lean more on skill sets than on education. And I think there is going to be a huge emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
NEXT WEEK
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