Adoption of promising technologies by the healthcare sector is not simple. MEDTEQ+, a pan-Canadian organization financed exclusively by the government and which aims to accelerate health innovation, notably through artificial intelligence, identifies some successes, even if “many obstacles” limit their positive impact.
“We are aware that there are many obstacles in the development of technology” in the health sector, admits in an interview with THE Duty the President and CEO of MEDTEQ+, Annie-Kim Gilbert. It’s not for lack of trying, she explains, but clearly, habits don’t change easily where the fax machine still reigns in 2023.
With a budget of $52 million, MEDTEQ+ still calculates that it has financed 140 technological projects in 10 years, of which more than 80 are AI applications. These projects systematically bring together researchers from academia, at least one private partner as well as a public health establishment. “The idea is to ensure that the technology created can be applied and tested quickly in the healthcare environment,” says M.me Gilbert.
All conditions are met to ensure that the project succeeds. “When the submitted project arrives, it is collaborative, that is to say there is an associated company, a researcher and a supporting community. Companies are supported all the way. »
No conflicts
MEDTEQ+ is a sectoral consortium funded by the government. The organization therefore manages public money and must be accountable for how this money is used. A report published last week by the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information (IRIS) deplored the lack of transparency in the management of public funds invested in artificial intelligence applications intended for the health sector.
MEDTEQ+ admits that communication on this level is not optimal. “We could have indicated more clearly the amounts we manage,” particularly on the organization’s website, admits Annie-Kim Gilbert. “There’s no real problem with doing it. » That said, the manager denies that there could have been any conflict of interest in the allocation of funds to projects which could have involved members of her management.
“We have a board of directors, an executive committee and a project evaluation committee,” explains M.me Gilbert. “All their members sign a conflict of interest declaration and we apply a strict policy. If an evaluated project includes a member of our committees, he or she is excluded from the decision. » Mme Gilbert says he has not seen a case where “a member participated in a decision” regarding a company or project in which he would be involved.
The importance of data
MEDTEQ+’s mandate is to accelerate the adoption of new technologies in the health sector. Unlike a private investment firm, it does not determine the success of its investments based on their financial performance. Its indicators are more on the sustainability side. “Our projects aim to accumulate data to help the industry,” explains Annie-Kim Gilbert.
“We are interested in the effect in the form of jobs created or the effect on a societal level. Ideally, we try to lead them to the next stage, which is often where we need to be able to interest investors. »
This perhaps explains why over the years, certain companies helped by MEDTEQ+ have obtained financing more regularly during their first years: promising young technological start-ups generally complete more than one round of financing to reach a stage of their growth where they can fly on their own.
To attract investors, these start-ups must also target sectors where the technology seems most promising. Annie-Kim Gilbert cites as an example Paperplane Therapeutics, a start-up that uses virtual reality to successfully treat anxiety and nervousness associated with certain medical operations.
In the artificial intelligence sector, the accumulation of a large amount of data is also vital. In this sense, it is not surprising to see the emergence of AI applications specializing in wellness, an emerging niche in connected health that revolves around mobile technologies. “In preventive health, we accumulate a lot of data. This is what helps develop good AI,” says Annie-Kim Gilbert.