04 de gener 2022

AI everywhere (8)

Doing AI: A Business-Centric Examination of AI Culture, Goals, and Values

A common external goal for artificial intelligence is cognitive plausibility. That is, in order to qualify as “real,” a solution must solve intelligence in much the way humans are intelligent. When it is discovered that a solution is not anthropomorphic enough, many dismiss the accomplishment. In other words, how insiders solve puzzles is as important as how they define puzzles.

 Is AI About Simulating the Brain?The answer is sometimes, but not always. However, many insiders believe that if a solution looks like the brain, then it might actually act like the brain. When a solution doesn’t act like the brain, insiders conclude that the solution teaches them nothing about the brain or intelligence. Simulating the brain effectively requires insiders to reverse engineer it. The so-called inverse problem is the process of calculating from a set of observations the causal factors that produced them. In other words: starting with the answer and working backward to the question. However, reverse engineering the brain and studying intelligence will always be an exercise that is more complex, with much longer payoffs, than identifying and solving real-world problems.



 

26 de desembre 2021

Behavioral Insights (2)

 Behavioral Insights

Key message,

Over the past ten years, there has been increasing interest in the idea of behavioral insights. However, at some point, this interest may start to end and attention may go elsewhere. Other ideas may come along, with their own compelling claims. People may stop deciding to “bring in” behavioral experts, as Rory was for autonomous vehicles. If this is true, then the immediate priority should be to integrate behavioral insights into the standard way that policy is made or organizations are run. That would mean that the practices are resilient to people no longer asking for “behavioral” solutions.

In fact, you could argue that this is the ultimate goal of the behavioral insights approach. The idea of a “behavioral” solution or approach should become meaningless, since the principles will have become absorbed into standard ways of working. Since, as we said in chapter 1, most policies or services concern behavior, then this is just about improving the way that central function is performed—it is not some kind of optional extra. Rather than talking about “behavioral public policy,” we would just refer to public policy (or corporate strategy) done better. In a sense, stopping talking about behavioral insights may actually be a sign that its true promise has been fulfilled. Until then, there is more to do.

The idea of a “behavioral” solution or approach should become meaningless, since the principles will have become absorbed into standard ways of working.




25 de desembre 2021

Risk-sharing agreements for drugs (3)

 Characterization of the Pharmaceutical Risk‑Sharing Arrangement Process in Catalonia


Table 1

Uncertainty type, scope, and considered variables for drug assessment

Uncertainty typeUncertainty scopeConsidered variables
ClinicalEfficacy, effectiveness, and safetyTime frame
Clinical trial phase
Patient characteristics
Primary endpoint
Surrogate endpoints
Active comparator
Sensitivity analysis
Statistical analysis
Patient subgroup analyses
Time frames for treatment follow-up
FinancialBI and CEIndication extension and concretion
Treatment regimen
Potentially replaceable treatments
Net financial impact of treatment inclusion/replacement
Potential use extensions
Other modifications in use of resources linked to new treatment
Availability of CE or CU studies

Adapted from []



20 de desembre 2021

Sick individuals and sick populations

Sick individuals and sick populations

 Individus malalts i poblacions malaltes

Una crítica de l’estratègia poblacional de Geoffrey Rose en la medicina preventiva

Rose's Strategy of Preventive Medicine

És part integral de la bona medicina preguntar no tan sols “Quin és el diagnòstic i quin és el tractament?” sinó també “Per què ha succeït això?” i “Es podia haver previngut?”. Aquesta manera de pensar és la que orienta pràcticament tota la recerca clínica i de laboratori sobre les causes i els mecanismes de la malaltia.

Geoffrey Rose 





15 de desembre 2021

The economist's view

 The Economist’s View of the World And the Quest for Well-Being

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I. Useful Concepts:

1. Opportunity Cost

2. Marginalism

3. Economic Incentives

Part II. Government and Markets, Efficiency and Equity:

4. Government and the Economy

5. Economists and Equity

6. Externalities and the Government Agenda

Part III. The Limits of Economics:

7. The Economist's Consumer and Individual Well-Being

8. Representatives, Deliberation, and Political Leadership

9. Conclusion.




14 de desembre 2021

The five essential healthcare suppliers

 Taking access to the next level: mobilising five essential healthcare sectors

There are five groups that are crucial: Big Pharma, generic medicine manufacturers, vaccine manufacturers, diagnostics companies and medical gas companies. 

In all cases, there are a few dominant players that have a big impact on healthcare