The annual CES trade show in Las Vegas this year was flooded with health technology gadgets making ambitious promises. From smart scales that scan your feet to track heart health to AI-powered hormone trackers shaped like eggs to aid conception, the future of personal wellness seemed to be on dazzling display. However, behind the glossy presentations, a critical debate rages. Tech and medical experts are raising red flags about the accuracy of these consumer devices and serious data privacy concerns, especially as regulatory oversight in the United States appears to be weakening.
Relaxed Regulations and Rising Skepticism
A significant development at the Las Vegas event was the announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it will ease regulations on 'low-risk' general wellness products, which include items like heart monitors and wheelchairs. This move is part of a broader trend under President Donald Trump's administration to remove barriers for AI innovation. It follows the repeal of an executive order by former President Joe Biden that established guardrails around AI, and a recent strategy from the Department of Health and Human Services to expand AI use.
While innovators celebrate this flexibility, privacy advocates are alarmed. Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, pointed out a major loophole: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) does not cover information collected by consumer devices. This means companies could potentially use sensitive health data to train their AI models or sell it to other businesses. "With a lot of the gadgets at CES, it’s difficult to find out where your information is going," Cohn stated, emphasizing that users often have to dig through fine print to understand data usage.
Bridging Gaps in Healthcare with AI Tools
Despite the concerns, creators argue their products address critical gaps in the healthcare system, estimated to be worth over $4.3 trillion. Booths at CES showcased tech aimed at helping rural populations facing doctor shortages, boosting underfunded women's health research, and improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
For instance, Sylvia Kang, founder and CEO of Mira, created her $250 egg-shaped hormone tracker after seeing friends struggle to conceive with little knowledge of their hormonal health. The device, described as a "world’s mini hormone lab," uses AI to analyze data from urine samples. Kang claims the company has built one of the world's largest hormonal health databases, stored securely on the cloud and not shared.
Another focus was women's health, a historically neglected area. Amy Divaraniya, CEO of Oova, highlighted that while not every woman has a baby, all go through menopause, "and yet we know nothing about it." Gadgets like the wearable 'Peri' aim to change that by monitoring symptoms like hot flashes during perimenopause.
The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Medicine
Experts acknowledge AI's potential benefits. Marschall Runge, a professor at the University of Michigan, noted AI is proficient at analyzing medical images and can streamline doctors' schedules. However, he and others warn these technologies can also perpetuate biases and "hallucinate," presenting incorrect information as fact.
This skepticism extends to AI health chatbots. Allen Au, founder of the free medicine-focused chatbot 0xmd, said his tool helps people in areas with doctor shortages by allowing them to ask medical questions, upload photos of skin conditions, or get simplified translations of doctors' notes. "At the end of the day, I don’t think we will replace doctors," Au conceded, but it can offer a valuable second opinion. This space is getting crowded, with OpenAI announcing the launch of its similar 'ChatGPT Health' platform.
Cindy Cohn's final advice to consumers serves as a crucial reminder: "People need to remember that these are just tools; they’re not oracles who are delivering truths." They may help prepare questions for a professional but are no substitute for a well-resourced, thoughtful, research-driven medical professional. As AI health tech proliferates, the balance between innovation, efficacy, and ethical data use remains the central challenge.
