Welcome to the Inside MedTech Innovation podcast, where we explore the intersections of technology, healthcare, and regulation. Medical technology and great regulation can help the industry not only survive but thrive. Shannon Lantzy interviews Susannah Fox, a renowned health and technology strategist. Susannah shares compelling stories of patient-led innovation and the paradigm shifts they inspire. Let's dive into some key takeaways from their engaging conversation.
A New Perspective on Regulation and Innovation
Shannon opens the podcast with an insightful reflection on the balance between regulation and empowerment in the medical device industry. She stresses that great regulation can be empowering rather than limiting and vital for ensuring that technological innovations reach the people who need them most.
Susannah Fox embodies this spirit. With a career spanning roles as an entrepreneur in residence at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, director of the health portfolio at Pew Research Center's Internet Project, and CTO for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), she has continually championed open access to information, data, and tools to support patient decision-making and healthcare innovation.
The Power of Patient Communities
Susannah highlights that patient communities often lead the charge in healthcare innovation. She shares the poignant story of Burt Minow, who lived with Mobius syndrome. For decades, Burt felt isolated in his condition until the internet connected him with families worldwide facing similar challenges. Learning that people with Mobius syndrome could lead typical lifespans was a revelation that spurred collective innovation within the community.
Similarly, the story of Jimmy Choi, an elite athlete living with Parkinson's disease, illustrates the profound impact of patient-led innovation. Frustrated with existing pill bottle designs, Jimmy's challenges were solved by a community of 3D printing enthusiasts who created a tremor-proof pill dispenser. This innovation not only helped Parkinson's patients but also provided new utility for people with arthritis.
Bridging the Gap Between Innovators and Regulators
The podcast also highlights the critical role that bridging the gap between innovators and regulators plays in driving forward health technology. Susannah recounts the FDA's Food Safety Challenge as a prime example. By fostering direct interactions between FDA food inspectors and academic labs, the challenge facilitated valuable feedback and tangible advancements in salmonella detection technologies.
Susannah’s tenure as CTO at HHS during the Obama administration underscored the importance of such collaborations. Programs like the Entrepreneur in Residence and Ignite startup incubator equipped federal workers with the entrepreneurial mindset and resources needed to tackle high-priority problems.
The Fight for Diabetes Innovation
One of the most compelling segments of the podcast centers around innovation in diabetes care. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) revolutionized diabetes management by providing real-time data on blood sugar levels. However, the closed-loop system—a DIY project spearheaded by Dana Lewis and others—took it a step further by automating insulin dosage. This leap was prompted by patient needs and led to significant improvements in life quality and safety for those living with type 1 diabetes.
Susannah emphasizes that despite obstacles, the visibility garnered from patient narratives and the subsequent community-driven efforts have driven companies and regulators to adopt more open data policies, ultimately fostering further innovations.
Final Thoughts and Takeaways
The episode wraps up with Susannah’s advice: know that you are not alone. Communities are powerful, and visibility can turn individual struggles into collective solutions that revolutionize healthcare.
Susannah Fox’s work is a testament to the potential of patient-led innovation.
Stay Connected
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Inside MedTech Innovation. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CJXg6hswiDsao8eKjCgAh Together, we can harness the power of medical technology and regulation to create a better future for healthcare.
Follow Us
Follow Shannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonlantzy/
Follow Susannah: https://susannahfox.com/
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