Medicine news-Page 2
Doctors Without Borders is now using blockchain tech for medical record storage
At a November 11 press conference, blockchain- based document security company Transcrypts announced a partnership with Doctors Without Borders, or DWB, that began on October 14th. Working together, they have already uploaded 6500 immunization records to the blockchain, with a goal of 76000 by 2022. Most of the recorded immunizations are COVID 19 vaccines, but the company stated that the eventually the goal is to store all patient medical records on the blockchain, where they will be accessible from a patient's phone. The nascent California based startup was founded last year by Zain Zaidi — then still an electrical engineering …
Adoption / Nov. 11, 2021
The future of longevity lies with digital currency visionaries
The promise of a longer and healthier life has dominated both cultural and medical discourse for centuries. From the first accounts of Nicolas Flamel’s philosopher’s stone granting immortality to the latest superfood that promised to reverse aging, we are captivated by the idea of a longer and more vibrant life. Encouragingly, the longevity sector has proven that a longer and healthier lifespan isn’t just a magazine headline — it is an attainable reality. Humans will not only live longer but will have more active, healthy and engaged years on this Earth. Research units from all over the world are making …
Adoption / Oct. 29, 2021
The next generation of data-driven healthcare is here
In the past 60 years, the life expectancy of the average newborn has increased by nearly 20 years — from 52.5 to 72, as of 2018. We’ve seen an incredible wave of technological innovation in this time: The introduction of the internet, medical breakthroughs and an enhanced understanding of public health initiatives have transformed the course of human life. And with new technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence now taking the stage, we know that even more radical transformation is coming. These disruptive technologies are paving the way for both longer and healthier lifespans. To show you just how much …
Technology / Sept. 26, 2021
Privacy-preserving computation on blockchains could prevent breaches
In the 19th century, the barons of American industries rose to prominence by leveraging their hold on tangible resources like oil and steel. Today, corporate titans seek to attain even greater heights of wealth by gathering consumer data. But now, like then, the benefits of accumulating such resources come paired with a significant business risk: spillage. Like oil spills, data leaks — regardless of whether they occur accidentally or as a result of hacker interference — can cause companies and consumers significant financial, legal and political harm. Consider the fallout at Facebook earlier this year. In April, the phone numbers, …
Technology / July 10, 2021
Biological evolution should inform how humans design markets
If the global COVID-19 pandemic has taught humanity anything, it has hammered home the lesson that the human being is as dependent on its fellows as the honeybee or ant. Scientists, academics, pharmaceutical executives, philanthropists and government agencies have worked together to roll out a vaccine program that is breaking all records for speed and efficiency. All these roles were necessary to the effort — none could have succeeded in the absence of the other. This is a clear illustration of what, to me, is the main advantage of human society: The division of labor that makes the human race …
Adoption / July 10, 2021
AkoinNFT to sell historic DNA data art as NFT in collaboration with Oasis Network
It seems like everything’s a NFT these days, and your DNA could be next. In a press release today, AkoinNFT — the nonfungible token platform from musician and budding blockchain entrepreneur Akon — announced the planned auction of a NFT that will contain a “high-res artistic representation” of the genetic data of Professor George Church, a renowned biology researcher and the first human to have their genome sequenced. AkoinNFT will be using the Parcel development platform from Oasis Labs to store the metadata, and buyers will also have the option to receive a “30x whole genome sequencing” of their own …
Blockchain / May 25, 2021
HODLer claims to have used crypto profits for father's cancer treatment
Though investing in crypto has the potential to radically change someone’s financial situation, one HODLer is saying their actions may have actually saved someone’s life. In a Reddit post under the r/Cryptocurrency subreddit on Tuesday, a United Kingdom-based user claimed that advice they gave to a university acquaintance two years ago resulted in that person’s father being able to receive critical treatment for lung cancer. “I met a guy in the library who was looking for a particular book on cryptocurrency, I can’t remember what it was but I’m sure it was cryptocurrency for dummies or something similar,” said the …
Business / March 9, 2021
Blockchain will revolutionize healthcare — Just not any time soon
Over the past decade, blockchain has surpassed the hype realm into a real transformative solution for industries. Several companies are investing billions of dollars on the network; it topped LinkedIn’s list of in-demand hard skills in 2020, and articles about its potential are now littered on every finance blog. Ask those who had experienced the early internet days, and they will certainly have a lot to tell you about the feeling of deja vu that has diffused the tech space. Mainstream maximalist circles have touted blockchain as the magic solution for many industries — healthcare probably being the neediest. Forbes’ …
Technology / Feb. 1, 2021
Q&A: Big data’s role in medicine, supply chains and smart cities
Data is incredibly valuable. But right now, it’s being underutilized — and few of us have control over our digital footprint. Here, CyberVein’s global marketing director Pavel Jakovlev explains the network’s vision for big data, its use cases, and how everyday consumers can monetize their personal information. 1. Put simply, what does CyberVein do? CyberVein, just like Google, is always in beta. We have incredible developers and strategists, who are working on bespoke data management solutions for a variety of use cases: medical data handling, smart city initiatives, logistics/supply chains and Internet of Things. We would love to see our …
Blockchain / Oct. 27, 2020
Centralized data management hampered the global response to COVID-19
The COVID-19 outbreak, just like any other black swan event before it, revealed systemic weaknesses in a wide variety of industries and processes. With the information age now in full swing, this particular event emphasized the critical importance of data management, and it highlighted the failure of status quo data management systems. In terms of the global response to the pandemic, the consequences of poor data management range from exacerbated shortages to unnecessarily long medicine development times, and the end result is more lives lost. On the other hand, opportunities abound for those who embrace the next generation of data …
Decentralization / Oct. 4, 2020
DeFi and healthcare: A trillion-dollar opportunity for the taking
With today’s technological and medical advancements, quality, affordable healthcare should be a basic human right: healthcare for every single person, no matter their socioeconomic level or geographic location. The global size of the healthcare market was worth over a staggering $8.45 trillion in 2018 and continues to grow. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s well known that medicine is moving online and going digital. But how is this related to decentralized finance? The decentralized finance community is rapidly growing but is currently still in its early stages with the focus primarily on yield farming. Related: How blockchain will …
Technology / Sept. 19, 2020
A minister's look at healthcare: Providing fertile ground for blockchain innovation
The strain placed on healthcare teams and networks over the past few months has been severe, pushing dedicated medical professionals to the limit as they work tirelessly to combat COVID-19 in communities around the world. The crisis has permeated every facet of society, shining a spotlight on the glaring inefficiencies within the traditional global healthcare system and illustrating the inherent need for technology-driven initiatives that can alleviate pressure on healthcare professionals and ensure patient data collation is as streamlined and secure as possible. As someone who has long championed the potential of blockchain technology to be a transformative enabler of …
Technology / Aug. 29, 2020