Jonah Comstock

Dr. Garth Graham at an event in 2016. Photo by D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Harlem EatUp!
By  Jonah Comstock 03:38 pm January 19, 2021
Last week, YouTube announced a new team that will push for more high-quality, credible medical content on its platform, including content aimed at laypeople as well as physicians. The team will be led by Dr. Garth Graham, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health, in the position of director and global head of healthcare and public health partnerships. A cardiologist by training, Graham...
The current version of PEAR-004, the company's digital therapeutic for schizophrenia
By  Jonah Comstock 01:59 pm January 13, 2021
Novartis has published results from a clinical trial of Pear Therapeutics' new digital therapeutic for schizophrenia, and the results don't paint a rosy picture. The single-blinded 112-person trial found no difference between the Pear app and a placebo app in any outcome measure, including the primary outcome measure of reducing schizophrenia symptoms. However, the trial did further establish the...
A handshake represents M&A deals in the digital health space.
By  Jonah Comstock 02:20 pm December 30, 2020
Back in July, we theorized that 2020 could end up being a record-setting year for digital health M&A, and that’s turned out to be the case. With 35 deals in the first half of the year, nine in the third quarter, and 20 more in Q4, MobiHealthNews and its sister publications tracked a staggering 64 deals this year. That count, by the way, excludes “blank check” or Special Purpose Acquisition...
Person works out on a cycling machine
By  Jonah Comstock 03:05 pm December 22, 2020
Connected fitness company Peloton, a unicorn famous for its connected-bicycle offering and virtual fitness classes, has acquired Precor, a major manufacturer of commercial fitness equipment, for $420 million. The acquisition is expected to close in early 2021. WHAT'S THE IMPACT? The acquisition will allow Peloton to bring much of its manufacturing in house and have more control over the supply...
Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple's VP of Health, presents the new Apple Watch blood oxygenation sensor at an event in September.
By  Jonah Comstock 10:32 am October 30, 2020
When Apple announced its Series 6 Watch wearable last month, with new features, including VO2 Max and blood oxygenation sensors, the tech giant also announced three new clinical studies that would use the device. We expounded on one, an asthma study, in collaboration with Anthem, last month. But the other two, focused on heart failure and respiratory conditions like flu, respectively, have not...
A screenshot of Novartis's data42 initiative, shown during the company's HLTH presentation on digital strategy.
By  Jonah Comstock 03:40 pm October 15, 2020
Novartis's digital strategy hasn't changed too much since MobiHealthNews spoke with the pharma company in 2018. But, at the HLTH virtual conference this week, Novartis Chief Digital Officer Betrand Bodson reiterated the company's four-part strategy, focusing especially on its partnerships, including those with Microsoft, Amazon and China's Tencent. "We started this agenda in earnest two and a...
By  Jonah Comstock 02:20 pm September 16, 2020
While Apple’s big announcement yesterday was around a new blood oxygenation sensor, the company also rolled out a new video fitness class offering which could turn out to be even more impactful for the company. WHAT HAPPENED? Apple Fitness+, a diverse subscription platform of fitness videos designed to be used in conjunction with an Apple Watch and its activity-tracking functions, brings Apple...
By  Jonah Comstock 03:04 pm September 15, 2020
Apple announced today at a virtual event that its upcoming Series 6 Apple Watch will include a blood oxygenation sensor, a first for the Apple Watch (but not for the wearable space). As it did with the ECG, Apple is launching a set of partnered research studies using the new capabilities of the Watch. Additionally, WatchOS7 will use existing sensors to measure a lower range of VO2 Max values....
By  Jonah Comstock 10:54 am September 10, 2020
While some of the more obvious barriers to digital therapeutics adoption in Europe have come crashing down recently, adoption is still hampered by cultural momentum. That was the conclusion of a group of digital therapeutics stakeholders who presented at HIMSS & Health 2.0 Europe Digital Event today, in a session moderated by YourCoach Health chairman and COO Eugene Borukhovich. “Once a...