The Peter Attia Drive

#91 – Eric Topol, M.D.: Can AI empower physicians and revolutionize patient care?

Feb 03, 20 | 02:01:03

In this episode, Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, shares how artificial intelligence and deep learning is currently impacting medicine and how it could transform the healthcare industry, not only in terms of the technological advancements, but also in restoring the patient-doctor relationship for better patient outcomes and experiences. We also discuss Eric’s rich and fascinating career in cardiology as well as his involvement as one of the first outspoken researchers to question the cardiovascular safety of Vioxx.

We discuss:

  • Eric’s background and his source of interest in cardiology [3:15];
  • The US medical field’s resistance to technological change and learning from other healthcare models [11:15];
  • Eric’s mission at the Cleveland Clinic [20:15];
  • How Eric helped to elucidate the issues with Vioxx (and why he came to regret it) [29:45];
  • How Eric came to found one of the most influential research centers in the world [47:30];
  • How AI and deep learning is currently impacting medicine, and the future possibilities [56:30];
  • Gut microbiome—Its role in health, impact on glycemic response and fuel partitioning, and how deep learning could improve our research and treatment [1:17:45];
  • Why machines combined with human doctors is superior to one without the other [1:32:00];
  • How AI and machines can reinstate medicine as an attractive career (and alleviate physician burnout) [1:36:45];
  • Eric’s dream experiment [1:47:15] and;
  • More.

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