Do-It-Yourself Automated Insulin Delivery: A Leading Example of the Democratization of Medicine

Abstract

Digital innovations have led to an explosion of data in healthcare, driving processes of democratization and foreshadowing the end of the paternalistic era of medicine and the inception of a new epoch characterized by patient-centered care. We illustrate that the “do it yourself” (DIY) automated insulin delivery (AID) innovation of diabetes is a leading example of democratization of medicine as evidenced by its application to the three pillars of democratization in healthcare (intelligent computing; sharing of information; and privacy, security, and safety) outlined by Stanford but also within a broader context of democratization. The heuristic algorithms integral to DIY AID have been developed and refined by human intelligence and demonstrate intelligent computing. We deliver examples of research in artificial pancreas technology which actively pursues the use of machine learning representative of artificial intelligence (AI) and also explore alternate approaches to AI within the DIY AID example. Sharing of information symbolizes the core philosophy behind the success of the DIY AID evolution. We examine data sharing for algorithm development and refinement, for sharing of the open-source algorithm codes online, for peer to peer support, and sharing with medical and scientific communities. Do it yourself AID systems have no regulatory approval raising safety concerns as well as medico-legal and ethical implications for healthcare professionals. Other privacy and security factors are also discussed. Democratization of healthcare promises better health access for all and we recognize the limitations of DIY AID as it exists presently, however, we believe it has great potential.