Dow Jones, a News Corp company

News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services

Dow Jones

News Corp

Search

Review & Outlook

Trump’s Syria Muddle

Review & Outlook

Randi Weingarten’s ‘Racism’ Rant

Review & Outlook

Westchester Beats Obama

Britain Is Committed to Brexit and Free Trade

If You’re Arrested Abroad, the U.S. May Not Bail You Out

Force Congress’s Hand on Health Care

Congress Won’t End ObamaCare, So Here’s How to Mend It

Silicon Valley Trails in Medical Tech

What a Weird, Wired World It Was

Trump and the Nafta Talks

Business World

California Says Tesla Is Too Big to Fail

POTOMAC WATCH

Our Self-Interested Senators

Bookshelf

Why Leaders Need Solitude

Love in a Damaged World

Small

Medium

Large

Save Article

Sign In to Save Subscribe to WSJ

Silicon Valley Trails in Medical Tech

With smartphones everywhere and little regulation, India and Africa are set to lead.

By

Michael S. Malone

July 23, 2017 5:33 p.m. ET

People who develop medical technology have long assumed that Silicon Valley would pioneer smartphone-based devices to make Americans fitter and healthier than ever. To some degree, that forecast is coming true: Tech giants are working with doctors and hospitals on highly sophisticated devices—automated radiology, supercomputer-based oncology, fitness-tracker-based analytics—to monitor the sick, provide better automated care, and keep people out of hospitals in the first place.

But it turns out the biggest gains from...

Most Popular Videos

Most Popular Articles

Popular on WSJ

Most Popular Videos

Most Popular Articles


<!-- share menu -->
<menu class="shareMenu  shareMenu--horizontal">


   <li class="shareMenu__item hide4">
     <a href="#print" class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="print" aria-label="Print" data-sharemenu-track="print">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--print" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 17.6"><path d="M-711-3365v4612H969v-4612H-711zM25 22.6H-5V-5h30v27.6z" fill="none"/><path d="M2.3 14.6h1v3h13.4v-3h1c1.3 0 2.3-1 2.3-2V9c0-1-1-2-2.2-2h-1V3.8l-4-3.8H3.4v7h-1C1 7 0 8 0 9v3.4c0 1.2 1 2.2 2.3 2.2zM12.5.6L16 4.2h-3.5V.8zM4 .7h8.2v4H16V7H4V.7zm0 14h12V17H4v-2.4z"/></svg>
     </a>
   </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item">
    <a class="shareIcon shareIcon--facebook" data-sharemenu-action="window" data-sharemenu-track="facebook" aria-label="Facebook" rel="nofollow" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" target="_blank">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--facebook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 10.5 22.5"><path d="M10 11.3H7v11.2H2V11.3H0v-4h2.2V4.7C2.2 3 3.2 0 7 0h3.5v4H8c-.5 0-1 0-1 1v2.3h3.5l-.4 4z"/></svg>
    </a>
  </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item">
    <a class="shareIcon shareIcon--twitter" data-sharemenu-action="window" data-sharemenu-track="twitter" aria-label="Twitter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Silicon%20Valley%20trails%20in%20medical%20tech%2C%20writes%20Michael%20S.%20Malone&url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597&via=@WSJOpinion">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--twitter" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.1 17.4"><path d="M19 4.3V5c0 5.7-4.4 12.4-12.4 12.4-2.4 0-4.7-.7-6.6-2h1c2 0 4-.6 5.4-1.8-2 0-3.5-1.3-4-3h1.8C2.3 10 1 8.2 1 6c.6.2 1.2.4 2 .4-1.2-.7-2-2-2-3.6 0-.8.3-1.6.7-2.2 2 2.7 5.3 4.4 9 4.6-.2-.3-.2-.7-.2-1 0-2.4 2-4.4 4.3-4.4 1.2 0 2.4.5 3 1.4 1-.2 2-.6 2.8-1-.3 1-1 1.8-2 2.3 1 0 1.8-.3 2.6-.7-.5 1-1.3 1.7-2 2.3"/></svg>
    </a>
  </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item hide12 hide16">
    <span class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="partial-scrim" data-target="fontScrim" aria-label="Text Resize">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--font" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 18.5 17.5"><path d="M18.2 17.2c-.7 0-.7-.2-1-1.4L14.5 4.2h-.2l-2.7 11.3c-.3 1-.4 1.5-.7 1.7h-.4c-1 0-1-.2-1.3-2L5.6 0h-.3L1.7 14.8C1.2 17 1.2 17 0 17.2v.4h4v-.4h-.4c-1.6 0-1.6-.3-1-2.6L3 12h3.2l.8 3.4c.3 1.4.4 1.6-1 1.7h-.4v.5H13v-.3H13c-1.3 0-1.3-.2-1-2l.4-1.4H15l.5 2c.2 1.2.3 1.4-.8 1.4h-.3v.3h4v-.3h-.2zm-15-6l1.5-6 1.3 6H3.3zm9.4 1.7l1-4.8L15 13h-2.2z"/></svg>
    </span>
  </li>


  <li class="shareMenu__item sharePopup__wrap hide4 hide8">
    <input type="checkbox" class="sharePopup__toggle" id="shareMenuSavePopupSB11338786022161323505204583266131369770930" data-sharemenu-action="popup">
    <label for="shareMenuSavePopupSB11338786022161323505204583266131369770930" class="shareIcon shareIcon--save">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--save" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 18.4 17.5"><path d="M3.5 17.5l1-6.3L0 6.7l6.4-1L9.2 0 12 5.8l6.4 1-4.6 4.4 1 6.3-5.6-3"/></svg>
    </label>
    <div class="sharePopup sharePopup--save">
      <h6 class="shareLabel">Save Article</h6>
      <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://accounts.wsj.com/login?target=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fsilicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597%3Fmod%3Dnwsrl_commentary_u_s_" class="shareLink" rel="nofollow">Sign In to Save</a>
      <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://subscribe.wsj.com/default" class="shareLink">Subscribe to WSJ</a>
    </div>
  </li>

   <li class="shareMenu__item hide12 hide16">
     <span class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="scrim" data-target="shareScrim">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--more" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21 5"><circle cx="10.5" cy="2.5" r="2.5" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/><path d="M16 3c.3 1.2 1.3 2 2.5 2C20 5 21 4 21 2.5 21 1 20 0 18.5 0S16 1 16 2.5V3z" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/><circle cx="2.5" cy="2.5" r="2.5" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/></svg>
     </span>
   </li>
   <li class="shareMenu__item hide4 hide8">
     <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="link" data-sharemenu-wait-for-init="true" data-sharemenu-sync="link" data-sharemenu-track="permalink" aria-label="Copy link">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--link" viewbox="0 0 19 19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2 13.7l1.3-1.3-.7-.6a1 1 0 0 1 0-1.3l7.8-7.7a1 1 0 0 1 .6-.3c.2 0 .5 0 .6.3l.7.6L13.6 2l-.7-.5c-1-1-3-1-4 0L1.5 9.2a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 0 3.8l.6.7zm16-7l-.6-.7L16 7.3l.8.6a1 1 0 0 1 0 1.2L9 17A1 1 0 0 1 8 17l-.7-.7-1 1.2.5.7c.5.5 1.2.8 2 .8.7 0 1.3-.3 2-.8l7.6-7.7a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 1-2c0-.7-.4-1.4-1-2m-1.2-5L18 2.8l-6.4 6.4L10.4 8zm-9 9L9 11.8l-6.4 6.4L1.4 17z"/></svg>
     </a>
   </li>

</menu>
<!-- end share menu -->

  <!-- font controls -->
  <div class="shareScrim shareScrim--partial" id="fontScrim" aria-label="Font Size - press Esc to close">
    <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear shareScrim__close" data-sharemenu-action="partial-scrim" data-target="fontScrim" aria-label="close">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--close" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.9 22"><polygon id="XMLID_4_" points="12.2,11 12.2,10.9 21.9,1.2 20.7,0 10.9,9.7 1.2,0 0,1.2 9.7,10.9 9.7,11 9.7,11.1
    0,20.8 1.2,22 10.9,12.3 20.7,22 21.9,20.8 12.2,11.1 "/></svg>
  </span>
    <div class="shareScrim__content fontButtons">
      <span class="shareLabel2">Text Size</span>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="regular" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizeregular" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-regular">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-regular">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--small"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Small
      </label>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="medium" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizemedium" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-medium">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-medium">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--medium"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Medium
      </label>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="large" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizelarge" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-large">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-large">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--large"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Large
      </label>
    </div>
  </div>
  <!-- end font controls -->

  
  
  
  
  
  
  <!-- scrim share menu -->
  <div class="shareScrim" id="shareScrim" aria-label="Share Menu - press Esc to close">
    <div class="shareScrim__content">
      <menu class="shareScrim__itemlist">
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="#print" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-action="print" data-sharemenu-track="print" title="Print">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--print" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 17.6"><path d="M-711-3365v4612H969v-4612H-711zM25 22.6H-5V-5h30v27.6z" fill="none"/><path d="M2.3 14.6h1v3h13.4v-3h1c1.3 0 2.3-1 2.3-2V9c0-1-1-2-2.2-2h-1V3.8l-4-3.8H3.4v7h-1C1 7 0 8 0 9v3.4c0 1.2 1 2.2 2.3 2.2zM12.5.6L16 4.2h-3.5V.8zM4 .7h8.2v4H16V7H4V.7zm0 14h12V17H4v-2.4z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Print
          </a>
        </li>
      <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" data-sharemenu-action="clickthrough" data-sharemenu-track="facebook" class="shareButton shareButton--facebook" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--facebook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 10.5 22.5"><path d="M10 11.3H7v11.2H2V11.3H0v-4h2.2V4.7C2.2 3 3.2 0 7 0h3.5v4H8c-.5 0-1 0-1 1v2.3h3.5l-.4 4z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Facebook
          </a>
        </li>
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Silicon%20Valley%20trails%20in%20medical%20tech%2C%20writes%20Michael%20S.%20Malone&url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597&via=@WSJOpinion" class="shareButton shareButton--twitter" data-sharemenu-action="clickthrough" data-sharemenu-track="twitter" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--twitter" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.1 17.4"><path d="M19 4.3V5c0 5.7-4.4 12.4-12.4 12.4-2.4 0-4.7-.7-6.6-2h1c2 0 4-.6 5.4-1.8-2 0-3.5-1.3-4-3h1.8C2.3 10 1 8.2 1 6c.6.2 1.2.4 2 .4-1.2-.7-2-2-2-3.6 0-.8.3-1.6.7-2.2 2 2.7 5.3 4.4 9 4.6-.2-.3-.2-.7-.2-1 0-2.4 2-4.4 4.3-4.4 1.2 0 2.4.5 3 1.4 1-.2 2-.6 2.8-1-.3 1-1 1.8-2 2.3 1 0 1.8-.3 2.6-.7-.5 1-1.3 1.7-2 2.3"/></svg>
          </span>
            Twitter
          </a>
        </li>
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/whatsapp://send/?text=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" class="shareButton shareButton--whatsapp" data-sharemenu-track="whatsapp" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--whatsapp" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20.3 20.4"><path d="M14.8 12.2c-.3 0-1.5-.7-1.7-.8h-.5l-.8 1c0 .3-.3.3-.5.2-.3 0-1-.4-2-1.3-.8-.7-1.3-1.5-1.4-1.7V9l.5-.3.3-.4V8l-1-2c0-.6-.4-.6-.5-.6h-.4c-.2 0-.4 0-.7.3-.3.3-1 1-1 2.2 0 1 1 2.3 1 2.5.2.2 2 2.7 4.4 3.8l1.4.5c.6.2 1.2.2 1.6 0 .5 0 1.5-.5 1.7-1 .3-.7.3-1.2.2-1.3l-.4-.3"/><path class="st0" d="M10.2 18.5c-1.5 0-3-.4-4.3-1.2l-.4-.2-3.2 1 .8-3-.2-.4c-.8-1.3-1.3-3-1.3-4.5 0-4.5 3.8-8.3 8.4-8.3 2.3 0 4.4 1 6 2.5 1.6 1.6 2.5 3.7 2.5 6 0 4.5-3.7 8.3-8.3 8.3m7-15.5c-1.8-2-4.3-3-7-3C4.6 0 .2 4.5.2 10c0 2 .4 3.6 1.2 5L0 20.5 5.4 19c1.5.8 3 1.2 4.8 1.2 5.6 0 10-4.5 10-10 0-2.8-1-5.3-3-7.2"/></svg>
          </span>
            WhatsApp
          </a>
        </li>
  
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/sms:/?&body=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-track="sms">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--sms" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 13 21"><path d="M10.717.84h-8c-1.103 0-2 .897-2 2v16c0 1.104.897 2 2 2h8c1.103 0 2-.896 2-2v-16c0-1.104-.897-2-2-2zm-8 4h8v-2h-8v2zm0 10h8v-8h-8v8zm0 4h8v-2h-8v2z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg>
          </span>
            SMS
          </a>
        </li>
  
  
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170723220829/https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-trails-in-medical-tech-1500845597" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-action="link" data-sharemenu-wait-for-init="true" data-sharemenu-sync="link" data-sharemenu-track="permalink">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--link" viewbox="0 0 19 19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2 13.7l1.3-1.3-.7-.6a1 1 0 0 1 0-1.3l7.8-7.7a1 1 0 0 1 .6-.3c.2 0 .5 0 .6.3l.7.6L13.6 2l-.7-.5c-1-1-3-1-4 0L1.5 9.2a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 0 3.8l.6.7zm16-7l-.6-.7L16 7.3l.8.6a1 1 0 0 1 0 1.2L9 17A1 1 0 0 1 8 17l-.7-.7-1 1.2.5.7c.5.5 1.2.8 2 .8.7 0 1.3-.3 2-.8l7.6-7.7a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 1-2c0-.7-.4-1.4-1-2m-1.2-5L18 2.8l-6.4 6.4L10.4 8zm-9 9L9 11.8l-6.4 6.4L1.4 17z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Copy Link
          </a>
        </li>
  
      </menu>
  
      <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear shareScrim__close" data-sharemenu-action="close" data-target="shareScrim" aria-label="close">
        <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--close" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.9 22"><polygon id="XMLID_4_" points="12.2,11 12.2,10.9 21.9,1.2 20.7,0 10.9,9.7 1.2,0 0,1.2 9.7,10.9 9.7,11 9.7,11.1
      0,20.8 1.2,22 10.9,12.3 20.7,22 21.9,20.8 12.2,11.1 "/></svg>
    </span>
  
    </div>
  
  </div>
  <!-- end scrim share menu -->

Save Article

Silicon Valley Trails in Medical Tech

With smartphones everywhere and little regulation, India and Africa are set to lead.

Most Popular Videos

Goodbye, Sean Spicer: Memorable Moments From the Podium

Your Next Online Order Could Be Picked Out by a Robot

A History of Sears: Through Highs and Lows

Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’: 'Virtual Reality Without the Headset'

Tour de France: Do You Know What Day It Is?

Most Popular Articles

Norway Takes Lead in Race to Build Autonomous Cargo Ships

Joseph Rago, Wall Street Journal Editorial Writer, Dies at 34

President Trump Defends His Power to Issue Pardons

Don’t Be That Guy: Avoiding Over-40 Style Pitfalls

Jared Kushner Discloses Dozens More Assets in Revised Financial Filing

Popular on WSJ

Most Popular Videos

Goodbye, Sean Spicer: Memorable Moments From the Podium

Your Next Online Order Could Be Picked Out by a Robot

A History of Sears: Through Highs and Lows

Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’: 'Virtual Reality Without the Headset'

Tour de France: Do You Know What Day It Is?

Most Popular Articles

Norway Takes Lead in Race to Build Autonomous Cargo Ships

Joseph Rago, Wall Street Journal Editorial Writer, Dies at 34

President Trump Defends His Power to Issue Pardons

Don’t Be That Guy: Avoiding Over-40 Style Pitfalls

Jared Kushner Discloses Dozens More Assets in Revised Financial Filing