This week in InnovationRx, we cover the purge of RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory committee, a tech billionaire’s investment in AI and healthcare research, Omada’s IPO, and more. Sign up to receive it in your inbox by subscribing here.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently removed members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to replace them with his own choices. This move, criticized by public health experts, aims to restore public confidence in vaccine science. Despite concerns, the new ACIP members are set to meet later this month.
RFK Jr.’s actions have sparked backlash, with the American Medical Association warning that it could lead to the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses. His decision to eliminate recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children to receive COVID-19 vaccinations has also been met with criticism.
In a separate development, tech billionaire Sanjit Biswas and his wife Hope have established the Biswas Family Foundation with $100 million in funding. Their focus is on supporting research at the intersection of AI and healthcare, aiming to bridge the gap between startups and scientific research with translational impact.
Projects funded by the Biswas Family Foundation include using AI for computational drug repurposing, developing an AI chatbot for cardiovascular disease diagnosis, and personalized cancer treatment using machine learning models. The foundation also supports early-career researchers in AI and health, recognizing the importance of funding in advancing medical research.
Despite challenges posed by cutbacks in federal funding for research, private initiatives like the Biswas Family Foundation seek to drive innovation in healthcare. Sanjit Biswas plans to expand his philanthropic efforts to further support research in AI and medicine for improved disease diagnosis and treatment. The figure is expected to increase as time progresses. Please rephrase this sentence.
