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A recently published patent by Genentech, titled "Privacy-Preserving Computing in Digital Health Technology" (Patent number: US20230259654A1), heralds a potential leap forward in the intelligent use of medical data for enhancing the benefits of AI in healthcare.
This groundbreaking technology is designed to ensure your personal health information remains secure while it's employed to boost the efficiency of artificial intelligence. Simply put, it's about using your data to teach computers how to make better health predictions, all while keeping your identity a secret.
Today's need for data security and privacy is vital, especially in healthcare. Genentech’s new invention aims to address this need. It claims to process the data in such a way that it becomes impersonal or anonymous. It uses one person's details to educate itself, then uses that learning for others. The result? Improved medical interventions and predictions, with no knowledge or trace of whose data led to the breakthrough.
Despite its benefits, the use of healthcare data in such a way has traditionally been avoided due to factors such as lengthy time to market, high costs, and the complexity involved in model development. But with this patent, Genentech seems ready to conquer these hurdles.
The potential application of this patent seems to fit right into Genentech's current product lineup — specifically, the Navify Tumor Board. This product provides a clear canvas for the introduction of a system that can harness AI while ensuring privacy.
An examination of the figures within the patent filing shows how this sophisticated yet user-friendly system may work. Flowcharts and diagrams provide a step-by-step visual guide to the process, from data input and processing right through to the AI learning outcome.
However, it should be noted that being a patent, there is no certainty this technology will materialize in the market any time soon. But its existence adds to a larger conversation — how we can leverage technology to make intelligent medical choices while maintaining stringent privacy measures.
This Genentech patent puts forward a promising solution to that dialogue — a tool that not only boosts AI capabilities in medicine but also respects the sanctity of personal data privacy.