The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how rapidly our communities across the globe can be adversely impacted, even bringing life as we know it to a standstill. And while the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt as economies struggle and mask-wearing debates persist, we are recovering. However, we know that there could be more pandemics in the future, and we must be prepared.
Imagine the ability to detect COVID-19 days before you feel any symptoms. Such technology would transform our society and our public health system, allowing individuals to isolate and take necessary precautions, stopping the spread of the virus in its tracks, protecting loved ones from infections, keeping emergency rooms at functional capacity, and finally playing offense instead of defense against the pandemic.
Moreover, what if this technology could be expanded to detect additional respiratory and non-respiratory infections before they start? Such technology would act as check-engine light for your body, providing ample time to go see your doctor when the light comes on – all before you become contagious or symptomatic.
This technology is here, and its transformative possibilities are as unprecedented as the pandemic itself.
The Department of Defense (DoD), through a public-private partnership with Philips, have utilized artificial intelligence to develop the Rapid Analysis of Threat Exposure (RATE) algorithm. This technology is the first of its kind, the only large-scale empirical exploration of prediction of pre-symptomatic infection in humans. Soon, this algorithm will be integrated into a wearable device, meaning a watch or chest strap could tell you if you have COVID-19 or other infections before a doctor or test kit could.
Following the RATE algorithm, the DoD, Texas A&M University, and Philips have engaged in an additional public-private partnership to develop Persistent Readiness through Early Prediction (PREP) clinical trials, aimed at understanding the body’s response to different infections such as pneumonia and typhus. PREP utilizes data from its clinical trials to train artificial intelligence to identify and predict different types of infections in their early stages, learning from the lessons of COVID-19 and preparing us for the next pandemic.
While the benefits that RATE and PREP provide to the healthcare industry are both clear and monumental, this technology has the ability to transform society in numerous ways. The military is already indicating that it has plans to implement this technology to improve insight into troop future readiness for deployments, giving commanders crucial insight into how to most effectively utilize personnel.
Like many visionary ideas, gaining support from lawmakers will be absolutely crucial if this technology is going to realize its full potential for society. To this end, we must call on congressional leaders in the healthcare and veterans affairs policy space to work with their colleagues in Congress to support public-private partnerships in the healthcare space.
Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), along with Representatives Mark Takano (D-CA), Mike Bost (R-IL), Adam Smith (D-WA) and Mike Rogers (R-AL) are all consistent and unwavering advocates for the military and for improving public health. I am confident that they will continue leading on these important issues, and that their fellow lawmakers will join in supporting programs such as RATE and PREP.
No one knows when the next pandemic could strike, but it’s on us to be prepared when it does.
Carol Murphy is a Democratic New Jersey State Representative and Majority Whip.