#3: 10-Minute Ambulances, GenAI, Robo-Surgeries & AI-Powered Eye Care

This week in healthcare: AI is revolutionising healthcare and pharma in India, with over half of the industry already piloting AI solutions. The robotic surgery market is set to grow at 10 percent CAGR until 2036, strengthening India's position in the Asia-Pacific region. Tata Group is investing ₹500 crore in Breach Candy Hospital, while Narayana Hrudayalaya is building a ₹1,500 crore world-class hospital in Kolkata.

HealthTech & Innovation

• 🤖 GenAI is revolutionising India's healthcare and pharma industries, driving efficiency, improving patient care, and boosting productivity, with 66% of healthcare firms and 50% of pharma companies already piloting AI solutions. (EH)

• 🚑️ Blinkit has launched a rapid-response Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance service, promising a 10-minute arrival time to enhance emergency medical care in Indian cities. (eHealth)

• 🖼️ Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed CytoMAD, a generative AI-powered imaging tool that enables cost-effective, high-speed single-cell cancer analysis without traditional stains or labels, offering clearer imaging and deeper cellular insights. (mobihealthnews)

• 🩻 Aidoc has received FDA clearance for its AI-powered rib fracture triage tool, enabling faster AI development and real-time decision-making for radiologists. (mobihealthnews)

• 🩸 NowPatient, a global online pharmacy and telehealth service, has partnered with Lifelight to integrate its innovative software-only blood pressure technology, enabling remote monitoring without wearables or cuffs—expanding virtual prescribing capabilities. (HealthTechDigital)

• 🧬 NVIDIA and its research partners have introduced Evo 2, the largest AI system for biological research, designed to rapidly analyse and generate genetic code, accelerating research in genetics and medicine. (NewsBytes)

• 👁️ Alcon has launched Voyager DSLT, the first fully automated Direct Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty device in the US, aiming to revolutionise glaucoma treatment by making laser therapy more accessible and efficient. (PB)

Research & Healthcare Professionals

• 🇨🇩 Researchers warn that a rapidly mutating mpox variant, clade 1b, first detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is now more infectious and spreading internationally. Genetic analyses reveal new subvariants, with potential links to miscarriage, raising global health concerns. (News-Medical)

• 🎗️ Google has partnered with the Institute of Women's Cancers to explore how AI can predict cancer progression, focusing on aggressive cancers like triple-negative breast cancer, while also funding postdoctoral research to improve breast cancer outcomes. (mobihealthnews)

• 👁️‍🗨️ A groundbreaking gene therapy trial at London's Moorfields Eye Hospital, involving the injection of healthy genes into eyes, has significantly improved vision in four children with Leber congenital amaurosis, a severe form of childhood blindness. (BBC)

Pharmaceuticals, Regulations, & Insurance

• 💻️ The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has mandated pharmacy students to update their details on the DIGI-PHARMed portal as part of its initiative to digitise and streamline pharmacist registration and institutional processes. (PB)

• 💉 The FDA has approved Merilog (insulin-aspart-szjj) as a biosimilar to Novolog (insulin aspart) for glycemic control in diabetes patients. This marks the first rapid-acting insulin biosimilar approved by the FDA, available in prefilled pen and multiple-dose vial formats. (PB)

Policy, Public Health & Government

🇮🇳 India

• 👀 Kerala Government and Remidio launch Nayanamritham 2.0, an AI-powered eye disease screening program, expanding access to early detection across all healthcare levels, making Kerala the first public health system globally to integrate AI for chronic eye disease screening. (EH)

• ♋️ Andhra Pradesh has launched a large-scale cancer screening drive, identifying over 87,000 suspected cases to enable early diagnosis and treatment under the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva scheme. (eHealth)

• 🇮🇳 The Government has launched a nationwide NCD (non-communicable diseases) screening drive from 20th February to 31st March 2025, aiming for 100% coverage of individuals aged 30+ to detect and manage diabetes, hypertension, and common cancers. (BS)

• 🩺 The Supreme Court has refused to review its ruling that holds doctors liable under the Consumer Protection Act, reaffirming its 1995 judgment in the Indian Medical Association v. VP Shantha case. (MD)

• 🧠 The government has inaugurated an upgraded super-specialty neurosurgery and cardiovascular facility at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, reinforcing its commitment to affordable and accessible quality healthcare through an integrated holistic approach. (MD)

Industry, Deals & IPOs

🇮🇳 India

• 🏥 The Tata Group has announced a ₹500 crore investment in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital to enhance its infrastructure and expand medical services. This funding aims to upgrade facilities and introduce advanced healthcare technologies, bolstering the hospital's capacity to serve patients. (ET)

• 📱 Livlong 365, a health-tech platform backed by IIFL Group, expands its presence across India, operating in 800+ cities, connecting patients with 10,000+ doctors across 35+ specialties; it also launched the ‘Regard Elderly Care’ program to enhance senior healthcare services. (EH)

• 🏥 Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd. is set to revolutionise healthcare in Eastern India with a ₹1,500 crore world-class hospital in Kolkata, starting with 350 beds and expanding to 1,100 beds over the next decade. (eHealth)

• 🤖 India’s robotic surgical systems market is set to grow at a 10% CAGR from 2024 to 2036, with India projected to make up 6% of the Asia-Pacific market in 2024. (EH)

🌏️ Global

• 💻️ Abridge, an AI platform for clinical conversations, secured $250 million in Series D funding to advance its AI-powered medical documentation, which converts clinician-patient discussions into billable notes, easing administrative burdens and improving efficiency in healthcare settings. (mobihealthnews)

• ☢️ Harrison.ai has raised $112M in Series C funding to expand into the U.S., aiming to address the shortage of radiologists with its AI-powered diagnostic solutions, which are already used in 1,000+ healthcare facilities worldwide and have received 12 FDA approvals. (mobihealthnews)