Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
What's New With The Latest Apple Watch?
The fine print on Apple鈥檚 latest foray into health care carries a seemingly strange caveat: its new Apple Watch technology to detect atrial fibrillation is not intended for people who have atrial fibrillation. The contradiction sums up the deeper questions raised by the introduction of a mass-market monitoring tool for the heart. Apple鈥檚 products are designed to inspire, with clean designs and seamless operation. But health care is messy and unpredictable. (Rowland, 12/6)
Apple Watch is now fulfilling its promise to let people take EKGs of their heart and notify them of any irregular heartbeat. Apple announced the heart features in September, but didn鈥檛 make them available until Thursday. The new features have been given clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are for U.S. customers only. (12/6)
Related KHN coverage:聽In Grandma鈥檚 Stocking: An Apple Watch To Monitor Falls, Track Heart Rhythms聽(Bluth, 12/4)