The Pharmacy Evolution: How AI, Robotics, and 3D Printing are Shaping the Industry  – The Medical Futurist Newsletter

It becomes increasingly important for pharmacists to adapt and stay ahead of the curve In our [live Q&A session]( last week, we tackled the hotly debated open letter calling for a moratorium on the development of large language models and AI among other topics. The session was an exciting and engaging one, with 50 questions answered and a lively discussion on the potential medical uses (and non-uses) of such AI tools. We also delved into the digital health revolution and its impact on the future of pharmacies. The rapid adoption of digital health technologies is transforming the pharmaceutical industry in profound ways, and [our latest article]( breaks down the most significant takeaways from this shift. I hope you will find the newsletter useful! Best regards, Berci Bertalan Meskó, PhD The Medical Futurist [THE FUTURE OF PHARMACIES IN 3 SCENARIOS]( Technology enables three potential scenarios for future pharmacies: medical booths with pharmaceutical offerings, health consultancies, and specialized point-of-care centers. We discover all three potential future scenarios. However, regardless of which prediction will turn into reality, human interaction will remain an integral part of the future of pharmacies. [READ MORE]( WHY DO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT? Future pharmacies need to adapt to a combination of traditional, tech-guru, and scientific roles. [UBER HEALTH LAUNCHES SAME-DAY PRESCRIPTION DELIVERY]( --------------------------------------------------------------- I discussed Uber's plans in our "Tech Giants in Healthcare" ebook and now they announce this: "Uber Health is foraying deeper into healthcare with a new feature that allows providers to order prescriptions to be dropped off at patients homes same-day. The same-day prescription delivery is meant to help patients adhere to a medication schedule." [READ MORE]( WHY DO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT? Another tech company joins the business of healthcare with an added benefit they can bring to that market. [ALL IN ONE BUNDLE: 10 BOOKS FROM THE MEDICAL FUTURIST]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This bundle is a comprehensive collection of 10 books that offer insight into the latest trends and innovations that are shaping the future of healthcare. These books provide a roadmap to this rapidly evolving landscape, helping readers to understand the latest trends and technologies, prepare themselves for the future of healthcare and gain a comprehensive and nuanced view of the opportunities and challenges facing the industry. [GET IT HERE]( [FDA DRAFTS AI-ENABLED MEDICAL DEVICE LIFECYCLE PLAN GUIDANCE]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The FDA is finally proposing a science-based approach (Predetermined Change Control Plans) to requirements for medical devices powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning that would help deploy new devices faster. Companies developing such technologies will need an enormous amount of documentation going forward. All that documentation needs to be in their files should FDA come to inspect. So they don't have to make those "submissions" from time to time. [READ MORE]( WHY IT'S IMPORTANT? Proper, thoughtful regulation (and not bans and moratoriums) is the right way to tackle the challenges of emerging technologies. [IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BETTER AT ASSESSING HEART HEALTH?]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This new study assessed whether AI was more accurate in evaluating 3,495 transthoracic echocardiogram studies by comparing initial assessment by AI or by a sonographer. Cardiologists more frequently agreed with the AI initial assessment and made corrections to only 16.8% of the initial assessments made by AI (versus to 27.2% of the initial assessments made by the sonographers). The physicians were unable to tell which assessments were made by AI and which were made by sonographers. The AI assistance saved time for both cardiologists and sonographers. [READ MORE]( WHY IT'S IMPORTANT? Finally! We need such blinded, randomized clinical trials to assess how AI-based technologies can assist medical professionals or even take over repetitive and data-based tasks from them. [AMGEN SPEEDS UP DRUG TESTING WITH A 3D BIOPRINTED IMMUNE SYSTEM MODEL]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Science fiction-like news are coming out these days. Now researchers at Amgen British Columbia are using human tonsil tissue and 3D bioprinting to create an immune system model that can be studied outside of the body. "The researchers discovered that human tonsil tissue can be cultured in the lab to form 3D clusters that act identically to immune cells in the body. The platform has already been tested with substances that are known to either trigger or avoid immune responses. In both cases, the cells worked normally." [READ MORE]( WHY DO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT? Such a platform could predict immune responses to new drugs more quickly and accurately! [DIGITAL HEALTH FUNDING REACHES $3.4B IN FIRST QUARTER FILLED WITH MEGA-DEALS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Rock Health noted that six rounds in the first quarter of 2023 made up 40% of total digital health funding. "Some of those deals included kidney care company Monogram Health's $375 million raise, staffing startup ShiftKey's $300 million round and clinical trial platform Paradigm's $203 million Series A. Notably, Paradigm was co-incubated by ARCH Venture Partners and General Catalyst." [READ MORE]( WHY DO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT? Digital health startups raised $3.4 billion across 132 deals in that quarter. It still doesn't mean the field has returned to its booming funding stage in 2021. MORE NEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE --------------------------------------------------------------- MEDICARE DISADVANTAGE – [When healthcare is decided by algorithms, who wins?]( NANO ACTION – [First-of-its-kind mRNA treatment could wipe out a peanut allergy]( WALKING GROUPS– [Social Prescriptions: Could They Become the Next Big Thing in Healthcare?]( ENCAPSULATED ATRA – [Biodegradable Polymer System Offers New Hope for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis]( [color-forwardtofriend-48.png](mailto:berci@medicalfuturist.com) [color-facebook-48.png]( [color-youtube-48.png]( [color-linkedin-48.png]( [color-twitter-48.png]( [color-instagram-48.png]( © The Medical Futurist 2023 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Medical Futurist · Budapest · Budapest, Pest 1118 · Hungary