Nov. 9 Media Roundup

A few of our favorite stories last week included some great news on the mHealth and Big Data front, a smart medicine bottle that reminds patients to take prescriptions and an exoskeleton being developed for paralyzed patients.

Read up on all of last week’s highlights below and be sure to follow along with us on Twitter and LinkedIn throughout the week.

mHealth and Tech

• Powerful cloud-based computers can crunch medical records and may be able to prevent painful, expensive health issues by forecasting your future health.
• It looks like the digital health field isn’t suffering from too much hype. A new survey found that patients need more access to and knowledge of digital health communication tools.
• There are a bunch of reasons that smart entrepreneurs are focusing on womens’ health, including a steady rise in funding since 2011.
• A new article suggests that wearable devices will drive value in clinical trials. Among other reasons, the potential of a constant data stream is continuing to draw attention.
• Last year the Big Data sector grew 40 percent. But will personal health data be used for good or will it become dangerous to patients?
• Healthcare VC firm Frazier Healthcare Partners just closed their eighth fund after raising $262 million. They believe “looking for companies addressing an unmet need” is a key to their success.
• A new, ultrathin wearable device relying on tiny heat sensors has been developed and can measure blood flow.
• Ever wonder exactly how Big Data will drive precision medicine? David Shaywitz talks about it in the context of a diabetes study on Forbes.

Pharma and Life Science

• Can a focus on patient diversity improve participation in clinical trials? Given that 90 percent of adults own a cell phone, technology is increasingly seen as a means to recruit diverse demographic groups.
• A liquid biopsy may offer a non-invasive alternative technique to impact cancer treatments.
• Swiss scientists are working to develop a new exoskeleton for paralyzed and disabled patients. It may eventually allow these patients the ability to turn and climb.
• What a great idea! A smart pill bottle being made by AdhereTech claims to have the the “whole package” and has adherence rates up by 20 percent.
• Ultragenyx and Arcturus have joined forces to fight rare diseases using messenger RNA therapeutics.
• Did you know that the 21st Century Cares Act modernizes and streamlines FDA approvals? A great article highlights five key takeaways about it.