Stephen Fischer
twitter.com/sfischer943
Making open medical hardware
The quality of any medical intervention is greatly affected by the availability of the tools of the trade - equipment and medicines. For both, the determinants of true access are quality, cost and relevance.
For Tarek Loubani a conflict zone has forced the issue. He decided to apply his medical skills to develop high-quality, low-cost, open-source, universally accessible medical hardware to end the asymmetry of care. He started with a $3 stethoscope that meets the same standards as a $300 one. Through Glia, he is now expanding the pool of designs and testing them in the field.
We support Tarek because the need is stark and immediate. He has a very specific ability to address it and openness makes a substantial difference to his cause. Rooted in utility and practicality, Tarek’s approach extends beyond creating specific devices, towards enabling independent development post-conflict and post-scarcity.
This is not a challenge that will be solved in a year. However, we believe that in this time Tarek can - and will - make a substantial contribution to improved medical care today, and to our thinking about the nature of ownership of medical equipment and devices for the future.
Tarek’s work focuses on:
