STAT

Opinion: ‘Deep medicine’ will help everyone, especially people like me with a rare disease

AI won't replace doctors but will free them up to operate at the apex of their professional mission: humanistic interactions and relationships with those in their care.

Two things I read recently gave me hope for the future of medicine and the future of people like me with rare or difficult-to-diagnose diseases.

One was the article “Calculation of a Primary Immunodeficiency ‘Risk Vital Sign’ via Population-Wide Analysis of Claims Data to Aid in Clinical Decision Support” in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics. Not a sexy title, I know, but stick with me here. The other was Eric Topol’s newest book, “Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again.”

These two related works resonated with me because I have a rare disease called . In this mostly genetic disorder, protective antibodies are either seriously lacking or entirely absent, leaving individuals susceptible to all types of infections, many of which have the potential to become life-threatening. This dearth of antibodies also leads

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT1 min read
STAT+: IVF Doctors Demand Full Details On Fluid That Grows Embryos Amid CooperSurgical Lawsuits
Patients from all over the country are filing lawsuits against medical supply giant CooperSurgical, alleging that fluid the company sent to in vitro fertilization clinics destroyed their embryos. The fluid, called culture media, is filled with nutrie
STAT1 min read
Disparities In Donor Acceptance Rates Point To Need For More Equitable Heart Transplant Care
While access to donor hearts has increased, there are still gender- and race-based disparities in the acceptance rate of a donor heart offer by transplant teams, a new study finds.
STAT1 min read
STAT+: AstraZeneca Sues Arkansas Over The Role Of Pharmacies In A Federal Discount Drug Program
AstraZeneca filed a lawsuit seeking to block an Arkansas law that requires the company to ship its medicines to any pharmacy working with hospitals participating in a federal discount program.

Related