Modern Medicine’s Makeunder

Craig Robertson shares the story of Epipole in our cover feature (read more) – and it was a tale we were more than keen to tell. Founded to help bring advanced yet inexpensive imaging technologies to neglected countries, Epipole has centered its business model on ‘doing good’ – but have experienced commercial success along the way.

Clearly, companies need to make money, not only to keep the ‘lights on’, but also to drive research and development, and to iteratively improve upon technologies and treatments. But it seems to me that, with the wonders of the modern world, there exists the potential for disruptive low-cost solutions that can make a huge difference to those who need it most. And that’s precisely what Robertson and his team have focused on; through cunning, perseverance (and not the pursuit of profit), they have adapted high-tech imaging solutions to provide inexpensive and portable fundus imaging devices – and all without compromising quality.

And they’re not alone in providing neglected markets with feasible solutions. In our June issue, Sean Ianchulev shared the story of miLOOP, the low cost microinterventional cataract surgery device that is helping to tackle the backlog of global cataract blindness (1). For countries or rural communities where phaco machines aren’t readily available – or affordable – the device is proving to be a gamechanger. Many surgeons in more technologically-advanced markets are also praising the device for its simplicity and its effectiveness in hard cataracts. Even the humble ophthalmoscope, which does not come with a prohibitive price tag for many, received a makeunder: back in 2017, William J Williams, Andrew Blaikie and John Sandford Smith told their wonderful story of Arclight, the $6 ophthalmoscope that is improving eyecare for millions (2).

There will always be a place for advanced technologies that push ophthalmology and medicine into exciting new realms of possibility – as well as the markets and interest to support them. But equally, there is also a place – and, as Epipole exemplifies, a market – for more affordable, more portable, or more efficient solutions that increase the accessibility of healthcare. It delights me to see companies risking it all by driving development in a different direction or by putting a positive spin on the concept of a ‘makeunder’ – in doing so, they are satisfying unmet need across the globe.

Ruth Steer

Editor