‘Theoretically, It’s Brilliant’: What We Heard This Week

“This is just a baby step in a range of fascinating things we can do in the future.” – Kevin Seals, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, on potential implications of machine learning in radiology beyond image processing.

“Theoretically, it’s brilliant.” — Gregory Goodwin, MD, of Boston Children’s Hospital, on the concept of hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems, as opposed to the real-world experience.

“We believe this is the first step towards providing transgender people basic rights, such as reproduction.” — Yona Greenman, MD, also of the Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center, on a study suggesting potential for preservation of ovarian reserve during cross-sex hormone treatment.

“The key will be to develop systems that people find useful — and even delightful.” – Harlan Krumholz, MD, of Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, on patient interaction with robocallers and chatbots.

“The study is adding to the national conversation about differences in care by race.” – Erika Edwards, PhD, of Vermont Oxford Network in Burlington, on racial-ethnic segregation in neonatal intensive care treatment.

“I think that’s an extraordinary overreaction.” — Marc E. Lippman, MD, of Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, on banning textured breast implants.

“MS is not a disease of the aged but, we now think, a disease of aging.” — Stephen Crocker, PhD, of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, on the potential role of cellular aging in progressive multiple sclerosis.

“Is the door still open for bad actors to game the system and continue to information-block?” – Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), during a committee hearing on electronic health record interoperability.

“I’ve put a big focus on the Finance Committee on the need to… shine a bright light on patents and pricing schemes that the pharmaceutical CEOs guard like Gollum guards his rings.” – Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, on patients getting more access to their health data.