Are the days of DNA tests dwindling?
In response to “a slowdown in consumer demand”—and just weeks after 23andMe’s layoffs—Ancestry is letting go of 6% of its workforce and doubling down on its healthcare offering. The largest seller of at-home DNA kits joins the broader consumer DNA market in overcoming sales hurdles, including privacy concerns. Ancestry recently refused to open its database to police in defense of customers’ genetic privacy—although nearly half of Americans are okay with DNA testing companies sharing user data to help solve crimes.
News from us! Each year we bring together over 700 healthcare visionaries for the most inspired and informed conversations in digital health. Early bird tickets are now up for grabs for the ninth Rock Health Summit on 9/22-23 in San Francisco.
Headlines
AMA Survey: More Docs Are Embracing Digital Health
Virtual visits have doubled since 2016 Health Data Management | (Tweet)
60 Health Systems Side With Epic In Interoperability Fight
Their letter to HHS recommends changes to the proposed rules CNBC | (Tweet)
Is Big Retail Best Positioned To Change Healthcare?
Why Walmart and Best Buy are ones to watch STAT+ | (Tweet)
Three Things To Expect At HIMSS20 VentureConnect
We’re joining to give a rundown of the digital health landscape Rock Health Blog | (Tweet)
How An Algorithm Could Supercharge Medical AI
Researchers link large, disparate medical databases MIT Technology Review | (Tweet)
Chatbots Are Screening For The New Coronavirus
So far, they’re mostly turning up cases of the flu STAT | (Tweet)
Recent Funding
- Medicare primary care provider Iora Health nabbed $126M
- Outset Medical scored $125M for its dialysis solution
- Real-world data analytics startup Verana Health got $100M
- Chronic MSK health platform Hinge Health closed $90M
- Vineti raised $35M to help drive personalized therapeutics
- Direct-to-patient clinical research co Lightship brought in $20M
+ a16z launched its third life sciences fund to the tune of $750M