Maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes are good indicators of whether a health system works, and for whom. In rich countries, preventable maternal deaths are concentrated in poor neighbourhoods and marginalised populations. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) they reflect deeper and broader system failures that overwhelm clinical services. In both contexts, digital twins offer …
Diagnosis is an act of naming: the point at which we are told what kind of health problem we’re dealing with. With a successful diagnosis, uncertainty ends, explanation is offered and appropriate treatment can start. From a biological point of view, however, diagnosis arrives late. By the time a condition like type 2 diabetes is …
The paradox of precision medicine: does disease disappear? Read More »
I use a wearable continuous blood pressure monitor, a device likely to transform hypertension diagnosis and treatment. My broker urged me to do the annual “Discovery Wellness Experience”, which offers “Diamond Status”, hence rewards – coffee! It didn’t feel like a Wellness Experience when the Discovery person reported my blood pressure (see below) as 143/81, …
How and why I continuously check my blood pressure Read More »
Introduction Despite being underfunded for over a decade, and now in “critical condition”, the UK’s National Health System (NHS) has significantly invested in personalised medicine. These initiatives include the pioneering 100,000 Genomes Project, genetically based cancer screening, and personalised prevention. Proponents argue these programmes will improve outcomes and reduce pressure on the healthcare system. Critics …
Personalised prevention: fattening the cow or just weighing it? Read More »
Despite the huge excitement that greeted the sequencing of the first human genome at the turn of the century, genetic testing isn’t routine. When will this change? Historically, genetic testing was reserved for patients with known or suspected genetic disorders. Tests could identify single gene (“monogenic”) changes linked to conditions like sickle cell disease, haemophilia …
