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Masimo's gripe is with the AW6, specifically the pulse oximetry tech in it. Unless Apple can show that their readings are clinically reliable, then I would agree it's a BS gimmick.

Do you think Masimo's Mighty Sat for home use is also a gimmick, or is it only a gimmick from Apple?

www.MasimoPersonalHealth.com
For general wellness and health applications, including sports, fitness, and relaxation management.
Not intended to be used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of any disease.

Almost the exact same wording. Wonder if there is some legal reason for that? :-D
 
I mean...I can cherry pick quotes too. You asked for evidence, so I gave you some. You made it seem there was no evidence to say it's unreliable for the oximeter. That's not the case.

Neither of the other two articles provides evidence, just speculation (in both cases base on other people's tech). They might both be correct, but they might both be wrong.

Oh, but this "Both articles just say that in the past these kind of sensors were less accurate, but neither has tested Apple's product and so neither is able to make any specific claims." That statements not right.

They cannot make claims about the accuracy of Apple's technology in the Apple Watch 6 based on what other people have been able to do in with similar tech, because they have no idea what else Apple has done to improve it.

Both articles conclude that you shouldn't rely on this kind of tech in a watch yet. Hell, what do I care though...if you want to rely on it, go ahead.

There is a big difference between the statement that one should not yet rely on a device that has not received medical device certification and the statement that it is "unreliable". We have not seen any evidence on its reliability yet and neither of these articles claims they know it in specific. When the Apple Watch 4 came out we could many articles that were almost the same about the EKG, including how it would not matter and it would not affect people's lives. After two years in the market people are saying the opposite.

However, no where have I made any claims that one should rely on it for anything. I just dispute the claim that we know it is unreliable.
 
Since you keep justifying your position based on your credentials, I would still like answers to my questions:

In what year of med school are you? At which med school are you enrolled? Which rotation have you already completed?

Good God, leave him alone. What makes you so special to demand that? You are abusive.
 
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This is the kind of BS they want you to buy. Can't see how it could save anyone, even more given it's not a reliable medical-grade device
I don't recall a time when Apple has said the watch is medical grade, ANYONE ?

You can't see how it could save someone or fail to see for arguments sake?
 
There is a big difference between the statement that one should not yet rely on a device that has not received medical device certification and the statement that it is "unreliable".

The difference isn't that big. Either way, you shouldn't rely on it.


We have not seen any evidence on its reliability yet and neither of these articles claims they know it in specific.

If you want to limit it to those two articles this statement is border-line supportable. However, if you look at the Washington Post article that literally has "Apple Watch 6s blood oxygen sensor is unreliable and...mostly useless" and is based on the writer's own experience...that's evidence, my friend. You may not agree on the reliability of that evidence but it's still evidence. I know that you (conveniently) cannot read that article for some reason but there are others like it.


However, no where have I made any claims that one should rely on it for anything. I just dispute the claim that we know it is unreliable.

I mean, the evidence is there if you look for it. I literally found it with one Google search. There are a lot of actual users saying it's sporadic and unreliable. What better evidence can you have than that from actual users of the product? If you want to ignore that evidence go ahead, but if you're saying it's not even there then you must not have looked. Evidence is not proof by the way. Maybe you mean proof.
 
Turns out I'm a medical student so I pretty much know what I am talking about. It would only be usefull for a tiny fraction of users, in cases of poisoning or for helping some realise that they have sleep apnea maybe (for those who will sleep with their watch and monitor themselves). There are little cases that I can think of where one life would be saved because of a SILENT low oxygen sat. Covid maybe?
I'm no medical student, but here's what can cause oxygen level to be low.
  • COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema
  • acute respiratory distress syndrome
  • asthma
  • collapsed lung
  • anemia
  • congenital heart defects
  • heart disease
  • pulmonary embolism

Source: normal-blood-oxygen-level
 
That just means you can track the stats it provides but, you should not make any medical decisions based on any reading from the device. As with all data, one should consult his or her physician for confirmation of any reading from a wellness device.
Yet Apple’s website says: Blood Oxygen app measurements are not intended for medical use, including self-diagnosis or consultation with a doctor. 🤔
 
Since you keep justifying your position based on your credentials, I would still like answers to my questions:

In what year of med school are you? At which med school are you enrolled? Which rotation have you already completed?
I’m a medical student as well. I’m an M1, at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine, and I have completed no rotations. I still don’t know much lol. But is amazing how much info we are thrown in such a short time, but so far most clinical stuff has been zebras (disease wise) when most patients will be horses. I don’t pretend to know a lot but I think the actual benefit to pulse ox sensor is less than the ECG. What I think is significant about the Apple Watch and the continued inclusion of health monitoring is what the future holds. Patients will be eventually able to wear a device that reports fluctuations in physiological functions that will be reporting real time to their provider, and may alert them if something is potentially pathologic. That’s super cool and that’s exactly where the Apple Watch is going.
 
thanks for elevating me and correcting what my lifetime experienced professors forgot to tell us
As someone who completed their MB in 92, and specialist training in Anaesthetics in 2001, I can tell you two things about what you've said. 1. Your understanding of sleep apnea (and it's what I'd expect of someone whose nappies are wet) needs much more work, whilst the technology of wrist based oximetry isn't there with medically approved devices, it will get better, and fast. 2. As someone else alluded to, your commentary only further highlights the perception the general public has of doctors. Entitlement, arrogance, self-opioniated and failing to grasp empathy. You will never know everything, nor will your professors, and never forget, the title doctor is honorary, it's hard to keep it than to attain it.
 
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Turns out I'm a medical student so I pretty much know what I am talking about. It would only be usefull for a tiny fraction of users, in cases of poisoning or for helping some realise that they have sleep apnea maybe (for those who will sleep with their watch and monitor themselves). There are little cases that I can think of where one life would be saved because of a SILENT low oxygen sat. Covid maybe?
I generally find that appeals to authority work best when the authority actually has authority. I suggest you graduate and get a few years under your belt in the real world first before trying that on, youngster.
 
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Not to appeal to my authority, but as a Boarded Doctor of Internal Medicine that spent half of his time in the ICU during residency:

1. I would say that I have seen Masimo products used extensively there.

2. Medical-grade means (hopefully) independently verified reliability with clinical studies to back that assertion. Usually when devices are medical grade in the US, they have to be prescribed by a physician. (They do this so they can charge higher prices because your insurance company will pay the brunt of the cost). The ideal test would be correlating the oxygenation level on the pulse oximeter with more invasive monitoring (arterial line, etc). This type of testing is not insignificant and would significantly increase the cost of going to market.

3. Just because Apple Watch is not medical grade does not necessarily mean that it is unreliable. (triple negative ahh!) Additionally as stated before Masimo's commercial MightyStat line also has similar language to the Apple Watch legalese.

4. Masimo's complaint of their employees being poached has no merit. Employees are free to go to a competitor. If trade secrets, etc were passed then the courts will take care of that process. Pretty sure SCOTUS ruled against the tech companies (and all other companies from placing in anti-poaching clauses).

5. On the topic of reverse engineering, IANAL obviously so I will defer to the experts.

6. There is no hard rule that SpO2 for a normal person is > 98%. I normally run around 96-97% on a pulse ox and I have no lung problems and I am not a smoker. People can exist on various O2 levels depending on altitude, genetics, etc.

7. Finally ANY product that encourages patients to be more mindful of their health and encourages them to speak with their doctor if it is detecting problems is a plus in my book. (I would say that not all products are equal, e.g. my mom bought a wrist blood pressure detector that said her BP was super high. I told her to make an appointment to see her GP--even though I knew that this type of monitor have been historically very inaccurate--and as expected it turned out that her BP was fine and she returned that product back to the store).
 
Honestly, I don't care about the Trade Secrets up for debate here. From my perspective, Apple brought potentially life saving tech to the masses at an affordable price. Can we please stop worrying about profits with life saving products?

If the apple watch saves someone life because of this, its well worth it IMO.
Yes. Apple should be allowed to **** anyone and everyone's livelyhood they like in their quest to bring consumers technology that is consumer-grade tech.
 
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3. Just because Apple Watch is not medical grade does not necessarily mean that it is unreliable. (triple negative ahh!) Additionally as stated before Masimo's commercial MightyStat line also has similar language to the Apple Watch legalese.
Do you think Masimo's Mighty Sat for home use is also a gimmick, or is it only a gimmick from Apple?



Almost the exact same wording. Wonder if there is some legal reason for that? :-D

I never said that the AW6 is unreliable just because it's not medical grade. I didn't even mention the disclaimer nor do I know whether it's exactly the same as Apple's - I don't really care.

The guy (Alan Wynn) asked for evidence that it is unreliable. I pointed him to articles written by people who have tested the effectiveness of the oximeter themselves who say that it's unreliable. In other words, I gave him evidence that it is unreliable.

Honestly, I don't even know what this Mighty Sat or MightyStat is and, surprise, I don't really care. Obviously if they need a legal disclaimer, then they think you shouldn't bet your life on it so I personally wouldn't bet my life on it. If other people think the MightyStat is reliable to bet their lives on it they can have at it with as many MightyStats as they can carry.

And even though I don't know what it is, if it's not better than a recurring reminder to visit your doctor, and it costs more than $300, then yes, I'd say it's a BS gimmick.
 
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I never said that the AW6 is unreliable just because it's not medical grade. I didn't even mention the disclaimer nor do I know whether it's exactly the same as Apple's - I don't really care.

The guy (Alan Wynn) asked for evidence that it is unreliable. I pointed him to articles written by people who have tested the effectiveness of the oximeter themselves who say that it's unreliable. In other words, I gave him evidence that it is unreliable.

Honestly, I don't even know what this Mighty Sat or MightyStat is and, surprise, I don't really care. Obviously if they need a legal disclaimer, then they think you shouldn't bet your life on it so I personally wouldn't bet my life on it. If other people think the MightyStat is reliable to bet their lives on it they can have at it with as many MightyStats as they can carry.

And even though I don't know what it is, if it's not better than a recurring reminder to visit your doctor, and it costs more than $300, then yes, I'd say it's a BS gimmick.

I guess for the layman there could be some issues with how to interpret any values, however, I would attribute that more to the lack of scientific literacy/statistics than a feature being considered "BS."
 
Honestly, I don't care about the Trade Secrets up for debate here. From my perspective, Apple brought potentially life saving tech to the masses at an affordable price. Can we please stop worrying about profits with life saving products?

If the apple watch saves someone life because of this, its well worth it IMO.

If Apple really was making life saving devices then it would make the watch available on all platforms, that is, save the lives of the 80% who use Android also.
 
I guess for the layman there could be some issues with how to interpret any values, however, I would attribute that more to the lack of scientific literacy/statistics than a feature being considered "BS."

I guess some doctors think that being a doctor makes them scientifically literate and immune to issues with interpreting any values.
 
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