"Female Scientists Focused on Female Health Technology Discussed at Wired Health 2018"
Stepping into the glitzy new venue for this year's Wired Health conference left me pondering the women in science and medicine whose extraordinary contributions continue to slip through the cracks of history. While previous conferences took place in the esteemed Royal College of General Practitioners, this year we found ourselves at the posh Francis Crick Institute - a building named after the colleague of a man who, along with his self-aggrandizing partner, won the Nobel Prize for their role in the discovery of the DNA structure.
Francis Crick, along with his partner, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins, shared the Nobel in 1962 for their groundbreaking discovery. Yet every time Crick's and Watson's names resurface in my thoughts, I can't help but consider Rosalind Franklin - the unsung heroine whose X-ray diffraction work played a crucial role in their discovery. Like countless women in science and medicine throughout history, Franklin remained hidden in the shadows until it was too late.
As I shared this little-known nugget with my colleague in the lobby, I had no idea the thesis of women and health would pervade my entire day within the walls of the Crick building.
The Lady Parts: Entering the Light
"Being a woman is never boring," declared Elvie co-founder and CEO Tania Boler as she assumed center stage. Boler, who boasts a Ph.D. in women's health and has held leadership positions in everything from research to publishing, was no stranger to the shortcomings of the tech industry when it came to addressing female health issues.
Intriguingly, Boler's enlightenment didn't transpire until she became pregnant. She found herself plagued by a host of unanswered questions about her own health - an astounding admission given our supposed advancements in modern medicine. As it stands, in the 80s, discussions about breasts were tinged with stigma, yet this longstanding taboo seems to have shifted to vaginas, menstruation, vaginal atrophy, and pelvic floor prolapse.
The dearth of knowledge and understanding surrounding women's health is, in Boler's perspective, a direct result of a gap in technology. The challenge faced by Elvie - the unlikely startup in the realm of health tech, nestled in the bustling world dominated by men - was to bridge that gap and help women achieve a mind-body connection in regards to their pelvic floor.
Game-Changing Gadgetry
And that marvelous gadget is none other than the Elvie Kegel trainer. Equipped with two sensors - an accelerometer and a sensor that affords mind-body feedback - this ingenious device empowers women to exercise properly and aims to dispel the mystery that has long vexed the fairer sex. The gadzoom's crowning glory, of course, is the intrinsic gamification of the whole endeavor, setting the stage for instant behavioral change.
The Elvie Kegel trainer has quickly gained momentum over the past couple years. An astonishing thousand health professionals are championing its potential, and it now boasts an agreement with the British National Health Service, enabling free access to U.K. citizens via their GPs. The device even found a cozy spot in the Oscars swag bags last year, solidifying its burgeoning fame. Boler attributes the buoyant climate of our times for the success and visibility of her company's flagship product, remarking, "For seismic change to occur, the stars have to align, and that's what's in play right now."
The surging Femtech movement, the feminist momentum, the technological revolution that delivers personal data rapidly, and the paradigm shift in healthcare, wherein patients call the shots, mark the key forces driving the Femtech boom.
Although the road has not always been smooth, Boler attests that the tech community is finally starting to welcome their entry into the fold. She asserts, "Change is happening at an alarming pace, and it's becoming second nature to investors that women's health is a fruitful investment."
The Edge of Progress
A few speakers later, the CEO of a biosciences company took the stage to discuss the gut-body connection and the fight against disease utilizing microbes. The talk was highly intriguing, complete with a slide of the legendary Crick and Watson, barefoot and beaming, teasing the spectrum of history yet to be shed on the contributions of the obscured Frances Franklin.
As the speaker launched into yet another fancy slideshow, I lamented my frustration with women's historical omissions to my colleague, referencing the extraordinary yet shelved Ada Lovelace whose brilliance lay overlooked for nearly a century.
Perhaps the universe heard my weary musings, for next, came Ada herself.
Giving Technology a Voice
During the post-lunch session, Dr. Claire Novorol took the stage, a pediatrician turned clinical geneticist, now serving as the chief medical officer for Ada, the personalized artificial intelligence ai Doctor powering a solution for the untold millions lacking access to basic health services around the world. Ada speaks with efficiency and empathy, providing insightful information to patients and aiding doctors in effectively pinpointing a diagnosis.
Dr. Novorol stressed that with the severe shortage of doctors worldwide and the subsequent widening of the gap, Ada's hi-tech team saw it as their mission to tackle the problem head-on by empowering both doctors and patients. With an initial diagnosis in tow, users can present their Ada report to their GP for a more informed consultation.
With an affluent user base of 2 million and 3 million assessments performed, Ada continues to enlarge its footprint in the global healthcare market. The Ada app is terms with connecting patients with appropriate next steps, streamlining their healthcare journey.
The app's voice? Alexa. The reminder that Ada Lovelace's computing legacy is very much alive and present in today's tech-savvy world.
Finding Ourselves at a Turning Point
Clearly, the role of technology in healthcare is a work in progress, a continuous evolution in the face of escalating health problems. The Wired Health conference, year after year, inspires hope for novel solutions that can address these universal health challenges.
When it concerns the state of women's health and the representation of women in medicine, the journey may still be long, but it's moving in the right direction. The Wired Health conference, occurring hot on the heels of International Women's Day, leaves me with a sense of optimism as I witness the emergence of women in the forefront of healthcare innovation.
- The Elvie Kegel trainer, an innovative device designed to help women achieve a mind-body connection regarding their pelvic floor, is equipped with two sensors and features gamification for instant behavioral change.
- Tania Boler, the co-founder and CEO of Elvie, emphasized the dearth of knowledge and understanding surrounding women's health, attributing it to a gap in technology that her company aims to bridge.
- As the surging Femtech movement, the feminist momentum, the technological revolution, and the paradigm shift in healthcare drive the boom in Femtech, the tech community is finally starting to welcome women's health as a fruitful investment.
- Dr. Claire Novorol, the chief medical officer for Ada, the personalized artificial intelligence ai Doctor, spoke at the conference about Ada's mission to empower both doctors and patients in tackling the severe shortage of doctors worldwide and the widening gap in healthcare services, thus honoring Ada Lovelace's computing legacy.
