The ideas and innovators shaping health care
| | | | |  | | By Ruth Reader, Daniel Payne and Erin Schumaker | | | | | 
Dr. Brian Anderson's coalition wants the private sector to regulate health AI. | Paul Morigi/Getty Images | Dr. Brian Anderson is a physician on a mission to set up a vetting system for health care AI. His Coalition for Health AI, an alliance of tech companies and major hospital systems, plans to launch quality assurance labs that would run parallel to federal regulation, allowing the private sector to vet AI tools. But first he has to get President-elect Donald Trump to buy into his vision of the health AI industry overseeing itself until federal regulators catch up. Erin chatted with Ruth about her story on Anderson and the future of AI regulation: What do people need to know about Anderson and his plans? Anderson's main goal was to assemble industry leaders to come up with ideas for how to vet health AI, since there aren’t agreed upon standards for how to do so. But he’s quickly moved to set up a distributed system of quality assurance labs for vetting health AI. What's at stake in the quest to come up with these rules? Federal regulators have tried to remain flexible so the industry can innovate. But the lack of rules is stopping health systems from adopting AI, because they don’t know which products are good or what regulations to expect. Anderson has created an industry framework for vetting AI that will help health systems feel more comfortable. But some people worry his assurance labs will have conflicts of interest and won't detect harmful AI. What are you looking for over the coming months as this story develops? I’ll be watching to see what posture Trump takes on AI regulation and what that means for Congress. Some legislators are concerned that big tech companies are trying to capture market share by influencing AI rules. I’m waiting to see whether lawmakers will try to give the FDA the resources it needs to more fully regulate AI, despite budget concerns.
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Washington, D.C. | Daniel Payne / POLITICO | This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Have you seen Robert F. Kennedy Jr., perhaps on a mobile billboard circling the Hill today? Protect Our Care’s Stop RFK War Room paid for the ad, launched just as Kennedy is set to meet with several senators who will determine whether he’s confirmed. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com, Daniel Payne at dpayne@politico.com, Ruth Reader at rreader@politico.com, or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com. Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp.
| | |  Pollution from data centers, many of which use backup diesel generators, could result in as many as 1,300 excess deaths by 2030, researchers say. | iStock | Artificial intelligence advances promise to bring better health information and faster, more efficient care. But because of their energy-intensive computing needs, the technology could also have negative impacts on health. At least that’s what researchers from UC Riverside and Caltech said in a recent paper, which suggested more air pollution could come from the increasing energy demands. Pollution from data centers, many of which use backup diesel generators, could result in as many as 1,300 excess deaths by 2030, according to the researchers. The burden could be greatest in low-income communities, which are often subjected to higher levels of pollution than their higher-income peers'. Added pollution from AI demands could exacerbate that disparity. Why it matters: Air pollution has been linked to increases in many diseases, especially those affecting the respiratory system. Even so: Some in the tech sector believe the computers and software will become more efficient, lessening the environmental impact of AI.
| | | | Write your own chapter in the new Washington. From the Lame Duck Congress Series to New Administration insights, POLITICO Pro delivers intelligence across 22+ policy areas to help you anticipate and navigate change. Discover how a Pro subscription empowers you. Learn more today. | | | | | | | | |  Women have a higher susceptibility to dementia because they tend to live longer than men. | AFP via Getty Images | California researchers are taking on cognitive decline in women, thanks to $3.4 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. How so? A team led by Young-Kwon Hong of the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine has discovered a drug that may delay the onset of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. It works by clearing waste buildup, such as fluid and cellular debris, from the brain, the researchers say. With their ARPA-H award, Hong and his team plan to build on their research by combining the drug with a targeted ultrasound treatment, a regimen they believe will slow cognitive decline by accelerating that waste removal process. Why it matters for women: “With their longer lifespans, aging women have a higher susceptibility to dementia and neurodegenerative disorders,” Hong said in a statement, adding, “Two out of every three patients diagnosed with cognitive decline are women.” Big picture: The award, which supports President Joe Biden’s 2023 White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, is part of ARPA-H’s Sprint for Women’s Health, aimed at accelerating biomedical research to improve women’s health. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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