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Amsterdam, June 17, 2024 — Google’s commitment to revolutionizing healthcare through technology was the highlight of a conversation between Karen DeSalvo, the company’s Chief Health Officer, and Thomas Schulz, chief reporter at DER SPIEGEL, at the HLTH Europe 2024 conference. DeSalvo emphasized that generative AI models are a crucial component of Google’s broader healthcare strategy, yet they are just one tool among many in the fight against disease.
Despite the promise of innovative technologies, DeSalvo cautioned against over-reliance on AI alone. “I don’t want people to think that just by building a generative AI model, we’re going to cure health and disease,” she said, stressing the importance of a multifaceted approach that includes equitable access to healthcare and preventive measures like vaccines.
Technology Driving Discovery
The synergy between technology and medical discovery was a key theme in the discussion. DeSalvo noted the rapid evolution of technology and its potential to democratize healthcare access globally. “Technology allows us to democratize access to health for people all over the world,” she said, highlighting recent advancements that have enabled quicker and more equitable healthcare delivery.
AI’s Revolutionary Potential
Schulz reminded DeSalvo of her previous statements comparing AI’s impact on health to the revolutionary discovery of penicillin. She explained that before antibiotics, physicians had few tools to combat infectious diseases, which were the leading cause of death at the time. Today, health challenges are more complex, involving factors like inactivity, poor diet, genetics, and social determinants.
Addressing these multifaceted health issues requires comprehensive data integration from various sources to develop personalized prevention and care pathways. This is where generative AI tools can play a significant role, according to DeSalvo.
Alain Labrique, PhD, director of the WHO’s Department of Digital Health and Innovation, concurred, emphasizing that advanced computational tools are essential for researchers and policymakers to make sense of complex datasets and identify risk areas.
Beyond Tools and Technology
Google’s healthcare involvement spans two main areas: providing cloud services and platforms to healthcare systems and directly offering devices like fitness trackers to individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of information in public health, highlighting the need for reliable and timely health information dissemination.
Labrique emphasized the importance of accessible, accurate health information, noting WHO’s collaboration with various organizations, including Google, to ensure that people worldwide receive reliable health content. He also stressed the need to strengthen individuals’ capacity to identify trustworthy information amid the vast amount of content generated daily.
The Three Ps: Partnership, Platforms, and Prevention
DeSalvo clarified that Google’s aim is not to deliver healthcare in the form of pharmaceuticals or devices but to empower providers and create a robust ecosystem of partnership, platforms, and prevention. Examples include directing individuals to reliable health information on YouTube and partnering with the UK National Health Service to develop an AI-driven augmented image reader for mammography, which can expedite diagnosis when human resources are scarce.
Open-source AI tools, such as an augmented reader for chest x-rays used to diagnose tuberculosis, are another facet of Google’s approach, enabling broader access and adaptation by developers worldwide. Collaborations with the Indian government and Kenyan health volunteers exemplify Google’s efforts to extend the reach of these tools to frontline care providers.
Health is More Than Drugs
DeSalvo highlighted the potential of AI programs like AlphaFold, which predicts protein structures and accelerates drug discovery. Beyond pharmaceuticals, AlphaFold has applications in sustainable food sources and improving overall food access.
“Health is more than drugs,” DeSalvo stated, expressing hope that open-source tools like AlphaFold will foster ecosystems of innovation and collaboration, amplifying their impact beyond Google’s direct efforts.
Conclusion
The HLTH Europe 2024 conference underscored the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, with Google at the forefront of this revolution. By integrating advanced technologies with traditional healthcare approaches and fostering global partnerships, Google aims to democratize healthcare access and address complex health challenges on a planetary scale.
