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The First Prescription-Only App

Posted by Soulskill on from the take-two-updates-and-notify-me-in-the-morning dept.

TWToxicity writes "Most prescriptions would say something like 'take two pills nightly with meal' on the bottle. Now, we may be adding a new method. Baltimore-based company WellDoc is making a national push in 2014 for doctors to prescribe their app, BlueStar, after a regional launch last Fall. BlueStar helps patients with Type II Diabetes by suggesting in real-time when to test and how to regulate their blood-sugar levels by, for example, altering their medication or food intake. Prescription apps may revolutionize mobile medicine and allow for more effective treatments because the patients get real time feedback and the data collected by the app is sent to their physicians. WellDoc is currently working on apps to monitor and coach patients with other diseases. The success of this product will rely on how many doctors prescribe it."

84 comments

  1. Lovely... by the_skywise · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The doctors are prescribing minders...

    1. Re:Lovely... by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 0

      Pointless ones at that:

      BlueStar helps patients with Type II Diabetes by suggesting in real-time when to test and how to regulate their blood-sugar levels by, for example, altering their medication or food intake.

      "ding ding ding, it's time to stop eating so god damned much, your blood sugar is out of control again"

      "ding ding ding, GPS proximity warning! Get the fuck away from that Chinese buffet. You will need 6x your max doctor's prescribed daily dose again."

      --
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  2. Amazing! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most prescriptions would say something like 'take two pills nightly with meal' on the bottle. Now, we may be adding a new method.

    An app that says something like 'take two pills nightly with meal'?

  3. I can't imagine how they will acheive that... by bob_super · · Score: 2

    "The success of this product will rely on how many doctors prescribe it"

    I'm too cynical to read stuff like this.

    1. Re:I can't imagine how they will acheive that... by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

      Agreed.

      Damn I'm getting old. I remember when companies would strive to get customers to do the purchasing. :/

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:I can't imagine how they will acheive that... by rogoshen1 · · Score: 1

      i kind of.. don't like the idea of pharma getting customers (end users) to purchase ANYTHING. even as something as inane and pointless as this.

    3. Re:I can't imagine how they will acheive that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      not only that, but the success of the product (the 'if it fails someone might die' product) also depends upon the security and integrity of the device it is running on, and its software and network connections.. YIKES no thank you. i'll keep doing things the old fashioned way.

  4. FDA? by o_ferguson · · Score: 1

    Certification Request in 3...2...1...

    --
    - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
    1. Re:FDA? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      RTFA stupid
      it says the FDA has cleared the app to be prescribed in 2010

    2. Re:FDA? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      So what the hell have they been doing for the past 3 years?

      Testing in on a regional basis.

      Oh, the wonders of RTFA.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  5. Security? by root_brewski · · Score: 2

    This looks great, and I could see products like them being used in the future to great benefit, but they'd better be sure the security is bulletproof inside and out. The line "data collected by the app is sent to their physicians" instantly sets off the "this could end badly" red flags in my head.

    1. Re:Security? by sunderland56 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Never mind security - who is going to be the first patient who died, because their cellphone battery died?

    2. Re:Security? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I just love this meme on Slashdot. Instant Worse Case Scenario. In fact, instant OMG! Meteor-Strike-Worst-Case-Ever scenario. First off, it's not a ventilator - nobody dies instantly if the app doesn't work. Second, I'm rather sure that security was built in to the system (how effective it is remains to be seen). Third, it's been reviewed at the FDA level - some considerable thought has gone into the product.

      The numbers they are describing - a nearly 2 point drop in Hemoglobin A1c (which measures a running 90 day average of blood sugar levels and is sort of well correlated with long term risks of complications from diabetes) are impressive. That level is typically better than a lot of drugs (manufacturers would be tickled pink to get a whole 1 point drop on a consistent basis). Experience tells us that efficacy in the field is typically less than in controlled trials, but even a 1 point consistent decrease in HbA1c for something as benign as a iPhone app is significant.

      The real test is going to be how well these folks do 3, 4, 5 and 10 years down the line. That's the problem with chronic diseases like diabetes - you have to study interventions for long periods of time to determine if they really are helpful and to gauge any harms. Who knows what an iPhone will be like in 10 years - it may well be directly wired into your brain (and VISA card).

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    3. Re:Security? by Altus · · Score: 1

      In America, HIPPA would apply to an application like this so they would be required by law to follow best practices for securing patient data. Sadly that is not as secure as you might like it to be, but there are liability rules in place for things like this.

      --

      "In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson

    4. Re:Security? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem, generally, with HIPPA from a end-user-computing standpoint isn't security (lock screens, timeouts, encryption), but audit and compliance.

      You can't just say they were encrypted, you have to demonstrate it.

      Likely, since the device is yours, they only need to be responsible for encrypting data in transit. [You can hold unencrypted copies of your own patient data, of course.]

    5. Re:Security? by John+Jorsett · · Score: 1

      I just love this meme on Slashdot. Instant Worse Case Scenario. In fact, instant OMG! Meteor-Strike-Worst-Case-Ever scenario. First off, it's not a ventilator - nobody dies instantly if the app doesn't work.

      If I were this company I'd be more concerned with people claiming to have followed the app's advice and become worse because of it. Our litigation-crazed society makes it inevitable.

    6. Re: Security? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shut up already faggot spammer.

  6. Download two of these... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And call me in the morning...

  7. No thanks by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I guess I could see this being useful for some, but I am a diabetic and I have no need for this app. Most people who would need it just don't practice tight control with enough discipline. I know when to test, can tell by how I feel when things are off, and know how to adjust my diet and insulin as needed. I also don't think I like the potential for abuse with an app like this. Yes, I know there is HIPPA to protect privacy. For some reason that still doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy about tracking my health or disorder with an app.

    1. Re:No thanks by wcrowe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I am also diabetic, and I agree with you. Adjusting your diet and dosages is not that difficult to achieve good control. After a while it almost becomes second nature. Anyone who is too lazy to do it on their own is going to be too lazy to input data into an app which tells them what to do. And, as you say, the tracking component is highly undesireable. I don't need some faceless company nagging me about what I should or shouldn't be doing. Life's hard enough when you have to be your own pancreas.

      I could see a future where insurance companies will require this sort of app, though. I hope they find a cure, or that I'm dead, by then.

      --
      Proverbs 21:19
    2. Re:No thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course it doesn't. Look what happens even with PCI DSS and SOX financial standards. I have seen enough diabetic patients around me in my family and I agree with you that personal discipline is the only way to control it. Why do you need a nanny to tell you to prick your fingers if your life depends on it?

    3. Re:No thanks by techno-vampire · · Score: 3, Informative

      Me too neither. However, on the other side, I'm part of a clinical study of a new fast-acting insulin, and I have to keep a diary including when I take my basal insulin (Glargine/Lantus) in 24-hour time. As I'm ex-Navy, that's easy for me, but from what the clerks at the clinic tell me, most people find it very hard to keep straight. I'd guess that for people who can't manage 24-hour time, an app like this might be worth while, assuming that they actually use it properly.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    4. Re: No thanks by Jakeula · · Score: 1

      Not to be a dick, but isn't type 2 diabetes due to lack of self control as it is? So you say that it's not hard to remember to control your diet etc, but if you had the ability to keep yourself to a tight schedule and stay mindful of what you're doing its likely you wouldn't have type 2 to begin with (not you specifically). Yes some people make the proper changes, but many of my dietician friends say it's much more common that their patients ignore a majority of what the say. So an app will be helpful moving forward in this day and age of distractions.

    5. Re:No thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, it's really hard to add 12. Add 10 then add another 2. That's, like, two sums in a row. But, you only need to do it for half the day, so it averages to only one sum.

    6. Re:No thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I could see a future where insurance companies will require this sort of app, though. I hope they find a cure, or that I'm dead, by then.

      And/or fight against it because the technology will be patented, there will be those who try to get a law passed requiring it and likely they will want to charge per dose as if you were in the hospital getting treated by a nurse post doctor exam and perscription.

      Additionally this sort of system, like any other, will have points of potential failures, some deliberate by cracks, including via the likely required networkable connections. Like modern point of purchase devices there will be those who simply do as they say. The next logical progression to this is of course an upgrade to it that will administer shots automatically, not only insulin but in case of dangerously low blood sugar administer glucose. This will be a device that can be used to kill even if it never is, but in all likelihood there will be at least one target deemed worthy of the time, effort and expenditures by someone and/or some bureaucracy. That will of course be followed by more skyrocketing expenditures.

      Of course open source solutions will probably be illegal, even if written by a medical doctor.

      Posting from my ignorant thoughts and therefore hoping that I am wrong on any and all counts.

    7. Re:No thanks by Ronin+Developer · · Score: 1

      Like you, I am a Type 2 diabetic. While an app to assist in tracking my intake and blood glucose levels can be helpful, it really comes down to discipline.

      There are apps that are great for tracking your calories and blood sugar levels. And, they are useful when you can see trends such as increases in your blood sugar level due to stress or illness or lack of sleep. And, they could be helpful in detecting when they things such as your medication aren't being as effective. Interestingly, the best thing I have found for lower my sugars is exercise. I have something like 4 apps for these purposes. I don't use them much as my meter shows me much of this same information. But, the meter is limited.

      I would be okay with an app that detects these sort of changes and recommends holistic changes based on these sorts of patterns. And, I would be okay with my meter uploading the data to my mobile device or to a HIPPA compliant website for analysis. Not so sure I would trust my life to it, though. And, I would not want anyone having access to it without my permission. Ultimately, it's personal discipline that makes the difference and no app can do it for me.

    8. Re:No thanks by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      And it's even easier if you have the right kind of watch. Mine has a button that toggles the display between AM/PM and military time.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    9. Re:No thanks by wcrowe · · Score: 1

      That's interesting. On a side note, I've always wondered how they do a control group in such a study. Do they fill the pens (or vials) of the new insulin with a known, working, bolus insulin (like the Novolog that I use)? They sure as hell can't let you inject a placebo. That's not gonna work.

      --
      Proverbs 21:19
    10. Re: No thanks by wcrowe · · Score: 1

      Well, it's not quite that simple (I'm a type 1 who was erroneously diagnosed as a type 2 for years), but you're on the right track. I know a lot of type 2s and some are very good at controlling their disease, while some take a very cavalier attitude towards it. One of my acquaintenances didn't start to take things seriously until he lost a toe. So, yes, some type 2s can be really bad about this sort of thing, and I don't think an app is going to help one bit.

      --
      Proverbs 21:19
    11. Re:No thanks by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      In this case, the trial version is Novolog with a new enzyme added that will, it's hoped, make it work even faster; the control group gets Novolog without the addition. Of course, it's all double-blind.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    12. Re:No thanks by compro01 · · Score: 1

      Great. You've been dealing with it for how many years to acquire that "know when to test" and "feel when things are off"?

      This app is for newly-diagnosed people so they don't have to go through that "learning experience" and the likely damage that builds up while they're figuring things out.

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    13. Re:No thanks by snoig · · Score: 3, Informative

      I have also recently been diagnosed as a type II diabetic. While I'm sure that eventually I will easily be able to manage my diet by how I feel without an app like this, there is a learning curve and something like this could be very helpful to me at this stage. I've found some online resources that are very helpful when it comes to meal planning that could be even more useful if they could be integrated with my blood glucose meter and a smartphone. Imagine the day when there will be an implantable blood glucose meter that also monitors blood pressure and heart rate then communicates via wireless with your smartphone. Snap a picture of your meal, a barcode or menu item and it will be able to tell you how much time will need to spend on the treadmill to remain healthy.

    14. Re: No thanks by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

      Depends - sometimes Type II diabetes comes along for the ride when other conditions arise or get worse, and will diminish as the underlying disease relents (my missus has a fairly rare disease where this happens - it also does fun stuff like dump a ton of magnesium into her muscles, causing partial paralytic episodes. Even though her A1Cs are just on the good side of diagnosis, she's stuck with taking insulin anyway because the blood sugar count would go nuts otherwise.)

      Sometimes it comes about after dousing yourself with way the hell too much sugar or alcohol your entire life. Sometimes it comes about after your BMI skyrockets past 30%. Sometimes, it's a nsty side effect from anything that happens to your pancreas (e.g. injury.) Sometimes it shows up for no damned reason at all...

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    15. Re:No thanks by doesnothingwell · · Score: 1

      They can pull most of the data from my glucose meter already, no wait they all speak different electronic dialects. Glucose meter mfgs have tried similar approaches, but they charge for the software/service and data cables are proprietary. I can't afford diabetes meds like insulin already, supporting more medicine for profit is not on my to do list.

      Best healthcare in the world my ass. You want the data? Pay Me

      --
      They can have my command prompt when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
    16. Re:No thanks by dreamchaser · · Score: 1

      It took me all of a month to get the hang of it, but if it helps you then by all means that's great. It's NOT at all hard to practice tight control.

    17. Re: No thanks by dreamchaser · · Score: 1

      Not at all. In some cases it is, in others there's a strong genetic component. I was 46 when I was diagnosed and I was quite fit, with a healthy diet.

    18. Re:No thanks by dreamchaser · · Score: 1

      As I said in a couple of other posts, it hasn't even been a year yet.

  8. To forestall the inevitable comments... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    To forestall the inevitable sarcastic comments which the denizens of /. seem so fond of, may I direct your attention to the Wikpedia entry on medical compliance, which includes medication compliance. Patients failing to adhere to their prescribed course of treatment properly is a huge problem and only adds to medical costs when relapses and complications occur.

    Regardless of whether or not this particular application is helpful, it is a small step in the process dealing with the problem and that deserves recognition.

    1. Re:To forestall the inevitable comments... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also note the clever way of using doctors to sell software for no cost (well, excluding the bribes of course).

      That too deserves recognition. Mwahahaa.

  9. ...is sent to their physicians by Gothmolly · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Who are already overloaded in information, paperwork, journals, and hypochondriacs asking for penicillin for their colds. And/or the physician is 60, 5 years from retirement, and never bothered learning how to use a PC because they're wealthy enough not to.

    This seems like a great idea from some mid-20s hipster marketing drone, but there's no real benefit. Real-time data to your doctor? Like he's going to call you immediately (or text you, bro) and tell you to put down the candy bar?

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    1. Re:...is sent to their physicians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Perhaps, outsource them to Philippines?

  10. Like those DirecTV ads . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The success of this product will rely on how many doctors prescribe it."

    IOW, we've written this app. We want you to prescribe it. If you don't prescribe it, then it will not be successful. If it's not successful, then people will die. Don't let people die. Prescribe our app.

  11. The FDA could (will!) have something to say... NO! by nani+popoki · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I work in the medical products field as a software developer. You would not believe the amount of red tape involved in making a piece of software that is used to advise treatment. Such software is classified by the FDA as equivalent risk to an implanted defibrillator!

  12. For those who have no cell phone by BilGe · · Score: 1

    how much good is this? If my doctor prescribes an app, then will my insurance company pay for the cell phone required to run it?

    Something tells me they will not.

    There are still three of us in the world who refuse to own a cell phone.

    Hhhmmmph.

    1. Re:For those who have no cell phone by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      I'm Type II, and I do have a cell phone, but all it can do is make calls and simple texting. I have no use for a smartphone and no desire to shell out the cash to get one just for one app that I don't have any use for. Yes, there are people out there who really need something like this because they don't know how to manage their condition, but most of them probably wouldn't use this properly if they had it.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    2. Re:For those who have no cell phone by omnichad · · Score: 1

      But those same people probably also don't know how to manage their money and certainly have a smart phone.

    3. Re:For those who have no cell phone by robot5x · · Score: 1

      I'm in a roughly similar position; I have an iphone for work. I find the idea that people actually spend ~$1000 (NZ) on these things mind-boggling, but since I have one for free I've found that some of the 'glucose monitoring' apps to be very useful for managing my diabetes.

      I've got no idea why there is so much snobbery on here by people claiming that you only need to monitor and record if you're some kind of moron who can barely tie their shoelaces together. I know how to manage my glucose, I understand the science and have many years experience, but - shame on me - I've found that real life can throw my plans into disarray. On those occasions when I've gone low or high, I find it VERY useful to flip back into my logs and make a mental note to be cautious of similar situations in the future. Managing diabetes is a constant and ongoing exercise in relentless execution, learning and adjustment - anyone who claims to have it all figured out is talking shit.

      --
      Hej! Nasi tu byli!
  13. Re:The FDA could (will!) have something to say... by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 1

    Rob, I think it would be more productive to talk about Clara.

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    Support my political activism on Patreon.
  14. My data by dkman · · Score: 1

    Why can't I install it myself, send the data to me, and share that data with any doctor I see fit?

    That's how it should be. Now, if it's making medication change suggestions the doctor should at least know about it.

    But when it's your information and your device you should certainly have access to it.

    I didn't read the article, so I may be whining about nothing...

    --
    I refuse to sign
    1. Re:My data by techno-vampire · · Score: 2

      Now, if it's making medication change suggestions the doctor should at least know about it.

      Some diabetics need to adjust their dosage on a day-to-day basis, depending on their blood sugar reading. If so, they need to understand the process well enough to calculate how much insulin to take based on their reading. Not all of them are comfortable with math, and find it either frightening or confusing, if not both. An app like this would simply do the calculation for them, so that they would know how much they need.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    2. Re:My data by robot5x · · Score: 1

      Absolutely right. Despite finding some current apps really useful (currently using Glucose Buddy), they do tend to just focus on retrospective monitoring of glucose levels and insulin.

      I'm finding this useful currently just because my phone is the only thing that goes everywhere with me, so it's easy to always record wherever I am. I would love to have them go the extra mile, though, and tell me:

      1. what my ideal insulin/carb ratio is
      2. suggest dosages for certain meals
      3. track injection times, and monitor the half-life in case of situations where insulin overlaps

      I think there's a lot of potential for apps to help particularly with chronic disease, and I'm really looking forward to what comes out next - despite all the inverted snobbery and worst case scenarios elsewhere in this discussion.

      --
      Hej! Nasi tu byli!
  15. Let me guess how much it costs.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since it's s prescription app, it will cost about $220 dollars per month to use, $50/mo if you have insurance. No generics allowed until copyright expires, which is never.

  16. There's an app for that by Niterios · · Score: 1

    Now we just need an app that will prescribe this app.

  17. MAXIMUM TROLL POWER!11ELLEVEN! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obamaphone has 911 as a direct line to the deathpanel.

  18. How does app store cut work with priceing? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    Do they get a cut of the insurance companies price? the full non insurance price? do they get a cut of the mo fees? Will apple / some other say under the rules we must get a cut of the full insurance plan price?

    1. Re:How does app store cut work with priceing? by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Hmm...the app is free, but it only works with the prescribed device? Just like most other services that require a device. Then again, if it has monthly fees, Apple wants 30% from any in-app purchase. So it's probably a one-time purchase. But then the device probably "expires" after x years and has to be repurchased.

    2. Re:How does app store cut work with priceing? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

      but I think app may also have rules about going around a in app monthly fee buy to get out of the cut?

    3. Re:How does app store cut work with priceing? by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Right - there's no easy way out of the cut if you have monthly fees. Unless you put no reference to a subscription in the app itself. If the only way to subscribe is to go to a web site and figure out that address without referencing the app, I think you can get by without allowing an in-app purchase.

      So the easiest option is to build the monthly fee into the cost of the hardware and give it a limited life span.

  19. liability when something goes wrong? by peter303 · · Score: 2

    Could the App be considered in a small sense an A.I. practicing medicine if it makes decisions and gives advice? Who gets the blame if something suddenly goes wrong or there is a gradual worsening? Plenty of other computer programs give advice, but are not as consequencial as a medical decision. Does the programmer or medical expert adviser share some of the blame? Where do you draw the line between looking up something in a manual versus actually having a decision made for you?

    1. Re:liability when something goes wrong? by omnichad · · Score: 1

      I'd say it's the same as any electronic medical device. It's not even an AI in a small sense. It's following predefined rules. If the person who prescribed it was aware of issues (or should have been aware) before prescribing it, then they'd share some liability. Otherwise, the liability is with the maker of the product. Not really any different than trusting a cheap electronic glucose meter.

  20. what price control and other laws on meds all over by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    what price control and other laws on meds all over the world?

    Indian patent law specifically designed to prevent drug companies abusing patents of known drugs.

  21. Does that mean my insurance pays for phone? by RichMan · · Score: 0

    I don't have a smart phone.
    Does this mean if I get perscribed an app my insurance will pay for the smart phone so I can get the perscription filled?

    1. Re:Does that mean my insurance pays for phone? by OhPlz · · Score: 1

      Yes, but your insurance premium will increase an amount equal to several times the cost of a smart phone. That means it's free.

      Either that or Obama will pass an executive order demanding that we all buy smartphones or else be penalized/taxed by the IRS. They could already be working on the app portal and cafeteria plans for cell coverage. If you thought healthcare.gov was great, just wait until you see smartphone.gov!

    2. Re:Does that mean my insurance pays for phone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just get an "Obamaphone" to go along with your "Obamacare"; it's all free - nobody has to pay for any of it.

  22. Wrong Title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's a difference between "something a doctor prescribes" and "prescription only." Doctors prescribe lots of things that aren't prescription-only (asprin, over-the-counter goods, physical therapy supplies, nutritional items, etc).

    There's a huge gulf between "we'd like doctors to formally prescribe this app to patients as part of their treatment" and "this app is only available with a doctor's prescription."

  23. It should say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    Get Off The Couch, Type II Fatty!

  24. A fine line. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You're probably right. As I understand it, there's a difference between "an app that makes suggestions about treatment" and "an app that helps patients manage their own treatment." An app that reminds a patient to take a pill on their prescribed schedule is probably not giving "treatment advice," since it's basically just allowing the patient to set a reminder for themselves. Also, allowing someone to simply record their nutritional information (and sharing it with a doctor, who would be the one making the medical recommendation) is arguably just helping the patient keep a log. The part where it gets dicey is where the app is making diagnostic decisions like "your blood glucose is too low and you need to eat something" vs "your blood glucose is fine."

  25. Diabetes education is a big thing. by OglinTatas · · Score: 1

    It may not be for those who have been living with the condition 10 years or more. It may be intended as a teaching tool for those newly diagnosed, or those who have not exhibited good control of their disease (non-brittle, A1c>8)

    --
    More music, fewer hits
    1. Re:Diabetes education is a big thing. by dreamchaser · · Score: 1

      I've been living with it less than a year, and it took me all of a month to get things down.

  26. But it's not a patent, is it? by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    It's not a patent, it's copyright, though the algorithms may or may not be subject to patent protection in any given country. And abuse is such a strong word. We prefer "revenue enhancement through creative application of multiple intellectual property safeguards and mechanisms" when we write the prospectus for the IPO.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  27. will they cover roaming and data overages? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    will they cover roaming and data overages?

    Let's say you need this all the time will they pay for ALL data use even fringe roaming as well when you take a trip out side of the usa?

  28. Unless it's based on food by blood type... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All it's going to do is perpetuate the harm the 'diabetic health' industry has been causing.

    What? 70+ years of dangerous chemicals as "Rx" isn't enough harm?

  29. lots of and lots of $$ for this by trybywrench · · Score: 1

    if it can be prescribed then it can be medically necessary then it can billed to insurance/medicare/medicaid. this is a goldmine.

    --
    I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  30. Re:The FDA could (will!) have something to say... by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    I will make my usual chime in and suggest, shockingly, that the FDA costs more lives than it saves by delaying for years treatments, which could kill, by inaction, hundreds of thousands in the case of a cancer or heart treatment. Set against the downside of stuff getting to market too soon, and then pulled after a few hundred or thousand incidents.

    But those few hundred are much more camera-ready for grandstanding politicians than millions who would die anyway. "I stand here next to the bodies of 100,000 heart disease people who died this year because that weight loss drug was delayed." for some reason gets no purchase where a single CNN sob story of someone with a mixed up drug gets Congress launched into action.

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  31. 'round here, we call it 'Rent Seeking' by Penguinisto · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They do prescribe some electronic devices and programming (e.g. CPAP machines) to individuals, but in all honesty, this is one step too effing far.

    Mind you, my missus is diabetic, but she can control her blood sugar levels just fine w/o being forced to buy/use a smartphone app to do it. Instead she uses a combination of common sense and a meter. So far, it's stayed happily between 98-130, and that's in spite of juggling two different types of insulin to keep it under control (Novolog and Lantus).

    Last bloody thing I need is for some doc getting a kickback to push an app onto her phone that the insurance company gets billed $12,000 for :(

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  32. it boils to "Primum non nocere" by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_do_no_harm

    Docs tend to be conservative.

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    Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
  33. Re:The FDA could (will!) have something to say... by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

    I work in the medical products field as a software developer. You would not believe the amount of red tape involved in making a piece of software that is used to advise treatment. Such software is classified by the FDA as equivalent risk to an implanted defibrillator!

    Which is why the FDA has been cracking down on medical apps - there are established guidelines on the research involved. One of the first casualties were "color" apps that basically said "Run the app, shine on your acne and it'll go away in a week - the app magically emits the right wavelength to clear acne". Which is obviously BS, and why the FDA got rid of them - the FDA got started in the snake oil days and we see here the return of the same snake oil salesmen.

    However, the FDA isn't a backwards leaning organization - they deal with the forefront of medical technology all the time and are open to apps that can improve one's health. They have guidelines on what they can do (basically what people are allowed to claim on TV and all that) and what research and safety is required.

    This app is, primarily, prescription only. Your doctor has to write a Rx for it in order to use it. If that's the case, the FDA probably already has approved the app and any other ancillary things needed along with it, including user training and responsibilities. And maybe even the hardware the app runs on - it's not an iOS app you can get from the iTunes store or whatever (because everything, even if it's $1000, is available without a prescription). So most likely the FDA has put in certain restrictions, including software reliability guidelines which may mean even though it's an app, it's really an entire smartphone-app combination running controlled software.

  34. My experience with prescription medical devices. by trout007 · · Score: 1

    My kid has asthma so need a nebulizer. This is just a oiless air pump with a cup to hold the medicine. You can get them online for $50-$100.

    I got a prescription for one and I called my insurance company to see how to get it filled. They used some medical device company which I called an ordered it. I had to pay a $20 or $30 copay. Then next month I got a bill for another $20. I didn't realize it at the time but this was a rental. My fault I should have read the documents better. The insurance company was paying them about $50/mo for the rental. I sent it back and just bought the same exact one online for $100. This was 8 years ago and it still works.

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    I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
  35. Wow 1st you say by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not sure 1st is an apt description.

    Here is a product that has been available for years for diabetes in oz

    http://myglucohealth.com.au/details.asp

    Look at the pictures down the bottom for the fast summary.

  36. Name has dubious distinction at best by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who named it BlueStar? Sounds like Congress Party had a hand (pun jab intended) in this. Sardarjis are not going to approve this.

  37. Then running out of battery will be medicalised... by John+Allsup · · Score: 1

    If people over rely on these apps, and their smartphone runs out of battery, what then?

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    John_Chalisque
  38. web-based initiating insulin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In one of the studies of our research group (http://www.emgo.nl/team/217/gielnijpels/personal-information/) we had a study (the Dialog study) in which type 2 diabetes patients who needed insulin to manage their own injection scheme. Doctors were very afrais that patients could not do that and therefore we were only able to include 15 patients. That was a disappointment. However, those patients who were included were very happy with the web-based program. Lesson to be learned: doctors have to change their attitude what patients can or can not do.
    Giel Nijpels