You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s Health Tech newsletter, our guide to how technology is transforming the life sciences. Sign up to get it delivered in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday.
Good morning health tech readers!
Today, a look at the growing use of AI for breast cancer screening. Plus, the deep Amazon connections of General Medicine, the new digital health care marketplace from PillPack founders.
Also, a reminder that we’re still accepting nominations for STAT Wunderkinds, where we highlight the work of impressive early-career researchers.
Reach me: [email protected]
Will radiologists trust AI-assisted mammograms?
Artificial intelligence is being used to help interpret millions of mammograms, but radiologists remain skeptical. STAT’s Katie Palmer reports on a study that found AI-assisted mammography increased the rate at which breast cancers are detected. An extension study, however, found that radiologists didn’t always believe the AI, impacting how they acted on the results.
Amazon roots run deep at new startup
Three former Amazon employees including the founders of PillPack, last week announced a new startup, General Medicine, which has raised $32 million in funding. PillPack was acquired by Amazon in 2018 for about $750 million, and as Katie Palmer reports, General Medicine’s Amazon connections run even deeper. The description of General Medicine’s digital health marketplace bears similarities to Amazon offerings. And behind the scenes, Sunita Mishra, Amazon Health Services’ current chief medical officer, has advised General Medicine and helped it set up its telehealth offering.
Industry news
- Newcomer reports that OpenEvidence, which uses AI to help doctors search the latest medial research, is in talks with GV and Kleiner Perkins to raise over $100 million at a $3 billion valuation. The company only recently announced a $75 million raise at a $1 billion valuation.
- Semafor reports, citing unnamed sources, that Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink raised $600 million at a $9 billion valuation. The company hasn’t confirmed the fundraise. Previously it was reported that the company was in talks to raise slightly less money.
- The Coalition for Health AI reworked its “assurance labs” idea, STAT’s Brittany Trang reported in AI Prognosis, our subscriber-exclusive newsletter.
- As Viz.ai continues to spread its tentacles, it announced a new offering to support workflows for oncology treatment. Last week, the company announced a deal to develop a solution around COPD care with Sanofi and Regeneron.
