Personalized health is highly sought after but is still a long way from accommodating chronic conditions through algorithms.
A few days ago, while addressing my facial hair — a visible aspect of a decade-long struggle with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) — I found out that the global medical community has renamed PCOS to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The new name reflects its hormonal and metabolic nature, not just reproductive. PMOS affects 170 million women globally without necessarily causing ovarian cysts. It can impact various organs and is linked with insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular issues, and sleep apnea. Focusing only on ovarian cysts has resulted in inadequate clinical training and fragmented care.
My esthetician also has PMOS; however, our symptoms vary. She deals with ovarian cysts and cystic acne, whereas I face insulin resistance and hirsutism. We both experienced sudden weight gain but managed it differently: she through specific dieting and supplements, and I with medication. No universal treatment exists; it requires individual exploration, often motivating health tech engagement.
As companies push the concept of personalized health, they face challenges in managing the nuanced manifestations of conditions like PMOS. Health tech aims for individualized insights, yet current solutions often fall short of expectations.
The allure of personalized health lies in tailoring recommendations to unique health metrics, said to grant individuals more health agency. However, current tools often fail to account for conditions deviating from algorithmic norms. Therefore, sufferers of PMOS and similar conditions often have to cob together their solutions through trial and research.
While new technologies and AI are promising, the complexity of the human body and the slow pace of scientific validation hinder the immediate applicability of personalized health in its ideal form.
Health tech companies continue to promote the concept, though true personalized health, which works effortlessly in the background, remains elusive. Meanwhile, continuous exploration and self-research remain necessary for those dealing with multifaceted health issues like PMOS.