One application that has caught the media's and other people's
attention is an app called uChek. uChek was created in India and released this
past April or May 2013. The purpose of
this app is for an individual to be able to perform a self-check on their own
urine sample. Along with the app the
purchaser will receive a kit via the mail that contains the strips needed for
the urine analysis. Based on the reading
of the urine, this app will be able to let an individual know whether they are
at risk of any of the 25 different health problems listed in the link below.
How does this app work? (tested with iPhone 4, 4S, 5 only)
As mentioned previously, this app was released by an India based
company earlier this year. About one
month after the app had been launched and started making sales, the FDA sent a
letter to the CEO of Biosense in India.
In order for the app to be sold in the U.S. it must be approved by the
FDA. According to the creators of the uChek app, they had filed for a class 1 device.
Unfortunately, the FDA claims that this isn't the case. As a result, uChek is currently not offered for
sale in the United States. I feel like
if the U.S. market could come up with some apps similar to this then it would
be a great thing for the economy. I
would much rather be able to do things on my own rather than visit the doctor
and have to take a day off of work. Would
you like to see a medical app this advanced enter into the U.S. market? Why or why not?
Sources:
Bloomberg Businessweek magazine Sept. 30th issue.
Would need to make a "dry" run just to see how well it works. But I agree, I think I would much rather do this than go to the doctor. You can do it on your own time and there is a lot less pressure. The only issue I would have is the potential for user error. It seems simple, but some of the steps look as though there is room for error (e.g. step 1 and/or step 3).
ReplyDeleteThis was a great a blog. It is interesting that they were able to create such apps. I’m not sure if it is the wisest action however. Would launching such an app be more beneficial to the majority of the population? What will be the consequences for the actual medical offices? I wonder if the cost will actually go higher. Not everyone has smartphones and not everyone can navigate them very well. What are the guarantees that the information obtained by these apps is accurate? I think it is better if you have the opportunity to meet someone face to face and ask those questions and relate your thoughts. It is true that we have to take a day off from work and make the drive to various locations, we have to wait but, I think it is better than skimming through some writing that may be beyond our knowledge and understanding.
ReplyDeleteGreat information! This would have never crossed my mind to invent this or that there was a need for it. After reading your blog I just keep coming back to the same question, “What’s the point in this app”? So you buy the app find out you have sugar in your urine or you have a UTI. Then what? Write yourself a prescription? No you make an appointment with the doctor, they do another test and give you advice and a prescription. Then you are out the money for the app and a doctor bill. I believe I understand why this is not legal in the US. Maybe in another country where medication is not as controlled as in the US this may work. But what’s the use in an app if you yourself cannot do anything about it when you find out the results.
ReplyDeleteWith healthcare cost and insurance becoming such an issue for the US, I can see why medical apps would have a high demand. However, as much as it would be convenient for testing for prevention, I feel most people will turn to real doctor visit when they are sick. I for one would rather leave my health to the professionals, no matter the cost. Plus, if a test shows something, it is not like I can prescribe myself prescription for it.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in these comments have the same concerns as I do and I agree. I just think it is neat that this can be done on your own rather than having to schedule a physical. Just use the app once or twice a year as preventative healthcare then if it shows something abnormal, that's when you need to call the doctor to get an appointment and an official diagnoses. If you are having pain or really don't feel well then yes schedule an appointment immediately. This app is testing us for health risks that we don't always feel. An example would be one of my guy friends. We were in middle school, he played sports and was very active also felt fine. He collapsed one day at school and passed out. He went to the doctor that afternoon and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. If he was alerted of the risk earlier then maybe he could've changed his diet or done something to prevent it from occurring. All excellent points though and I agree that it is useless as far as not being able to get the medicine yourself.
DeleteThanks for sharing that. It is really interesting that i know there is an idea to plan an IT equipment underneath of the skin. Therefore, doctors can get easy to check their patients' health. So, any minor symptom can be defined. I think that seems really interesting and helpful. However, do you think it will rather cause any effects on your health? Since the idea came out, people were afraid to try.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you found the topic to be interesting. I wouldn't think that there would be any effects on your health because it is just analyzing your urine. It isn't performing any tests on your actual body. However, there is a different type of app out there that is for diabetics. Instead of constantly having to prick their finger to check their blood sugar, the mobile device will actually use a beam of light to shine through the skin without having to be pricked. Once again, I'm not sure of the app being able to have any harmful effects on an individual's health.
ReplyDeleteI am all about convenience and saving money, but my issue with that is I would still have to go to the doctor. It’s like a pregnancy test, if it says yes you are pregnant you still have to go to the doctor and do another test just to make sure you are not the 1% of false positives. I just think that whatever ‘diagnosis’ is given by this kit would still have to be confirmed with a physician, on the other hand I am assuming if it identifies health issues like high cholesterol then an individual could change their eating habits to detour or reduce the risk. Still not convinced but the information was very interesting, there is an app for almost everything now so why not the medical industry. Thanks, I really learned something new.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the uChek web site, the app tested 100% accurate on approximately 800 iPhones. Outside of this fact I haven't read any personal reviews of the product.
ReplyDelete