Recent Digital Health Trends, Insights, and News – August 2026

Here’s what the last month gave us. The FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee recommended six of seven peptides for FDA consideration, smart toilet technology brought passive health monitoring into everyday life, and health systems piloted FDA-authorized at-home cervical cancer screening as preventive care continues moving beyond the clinic.

Here's what's driving digital health forward this month.

Technology, News, and Insights

A Smart Toilet Seat Is Turning Everyday Bathroom Visits Into Health Screenings

Health technology startup Casana officially launched its Smart Seat, a sensor-enabled toilet seat that measures blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, and other health metrics during everyday use. Powered by AI, the device is designed to passively track health trends without requiring users to wear or interact with a traditional monitoring device. 

Read the full Forbes article here >>

Health System Tests FDA-Authorized At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening

UC Davis Health is piloting the integration of the first FDA-authorized at-home HPV self-collection device into routine care. In collaboration with Teal Health, the study will evaluate whether at-home screening can improve participation among patients due or overdue for cervical cancer screening while creating a scalable model for health systems to expand access to preventive care.

Read the full UC Davis Health announcement here >>

Science Corp. Launches Vision-Restoring Brain Implant 

Science Corp. announced the commercial launch of PRIMA, the first CE-marked brain-computer interface designed to restore functional central vision for people with advanced age-related macular degeneration. In clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 84% of patients regained the ability to read letters, numbers, and words. Following its European launch, the company is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring PRIMA to the U.S., where the device has already received Breakthrough Device and Humanitarian Use Device designations.

Read the full Tech Crunch article here >> 

Whoop Appoints Former FDA Digital Health Advisory Chair as CMO

Wearable health tech company, “Whoop”, named Dr. Ami Bhatt, the former inaugural Chair of the FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee, as its new Chief Medical Officer. A board-certified cardiologist and digital health leader, Bhatt will help guide the company's expansion into consumer health, bringing together its growing portfolio of health offerings while shaping its long-term strategy to bridge everyday health monitoring with clinical care.

Read the full Whoop announcement here >>

Policy and Regulatory

FDA PCAC Recommends Six Peptides for Category 1 Review

Following a two-day advisory committee meeting, the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted to recommend six peptide substances for inclusion on the FDA's Category 1 503A Bulks List. While the recommendations do not immediately authorize compounding, they represent one of the most significant peptide regulatory developments in years and offer an early indication of where FDA policy may be headed.

Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>

FDA Launches First TEMPO Digital Health Devices Pilot

The FDA selected the first participant for its new Technology-Enabled Meaningful Patient Outcomes (TEMPO) pilot, designed to evaluate digital health devices alongside CMS payment models. The initiative aims to generate real-world evidence showing how connected health technologies improve outcomes while supporting reimbursement decisions—a significant milestone for digital therapeutics and AI-enabled medical devices.

Read the full FDA announcement here >>

Industry Conversations

OECD Calls Interoperability the Next Frontier in Digital Health

A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) argues that simply digitizing healthcare is no longer enough. Instead, the organization identifies interoperability—the ability for health systems to securely exchange and use patient data—as the next critical step in improving care, reducing costs, and enabling AI-driven innovation. The report estimates that better-connected healthcare systems could generate economic benefits equal to 2.7% to 6.6% of annual healthcare spending, while supporting more coordinated, efficient, and resilient care delivery.

Read the full OECD report here >>

Digital Health's Next Competitive Advantage: Becoming a Habit

A new MedCity News perspective suggests the next competitive advantage in digital health technology may not be getting patients to adopt new tools—but designing technologies that become a natural part of everyday life. As AI-powered tools, passive health monitoring, and connected care continue to evolve, long-term success may increasingly depend on experiences that fit seamlessly into patients' daily routines, require minimal effort, and deliver continuous value over time.

Read the full MedCity News article here >>

Growth, Funding, and Innovation

Digital Health Funding Climbs as Investors Look Beyond AI

U.S. digital health startups raised $7.4 billion across 244 deals in the first half of 2026, surpassing the first half of 2025 by $1 billion, according to Rock Health. While AI continues to fuel investment across the sector, the report highlights a shift in what investors value most. As AI capabilities become more widely available, competitive advantage is increasingly tied to deep healthcare expertise, measurable outcomes, and technologies that orchestrate complex clinical workflows rather than solve individual tasks.

Read the full Rock Health report here >>

GLP-1 Boom Fuels Investment in the Next Generation of Peptide Companies

Weight management and obesity remained the second most-funded clinical indication in digital health during the first half of 2026, driven by continued demand for GLP-1 therapies and the broader ecosystem developing around them. Beyond major funding rounds for companies like eMed, Nourish, and Midi, investors are increasingly backing startups focused on adjacent peptide categories, including wellness and longevity.

Read the full Fierce Healthcare report here >>

FDA Announces Funding Opportunity to Advance Digital Health Technologies in Drug Development

The FDA announced a new funding opportunity to support research exploring the use of digital health technologies (DHTs) in clinical drug development. The agency is seeking projects that evaluate technologies such as wearable devices, photography, and contactless sensors to support remote data collection, compare digital measurements with traditional clinical assessments, develop novel clinical trial endpoints, and improve the ability to detect early signs of chronic disease.

Read the full FDA announcement here >>

OpenLoop Resources & News

Why Dietitians Are Key to Your Whole-Person Care Model

OpenLoop Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mohit Joshipura breaks down why registered dietitians should be embedded directly into virtual care teams—not treated as a referral. Drawing on clinical evidence and real-world care models, he explains how integrated nutrition support can help strengthen outcomes across weight management, metabolic health, hormone therapy, and other chronic care programs by improving care coordination and long-term adherence.

Read Dr. Mohit Joshipura's insights here >>

The Most Popular Peptides for Longevity & Aesthetics

As interest in peptide therapy continues to grow, healthcare organizations are being asked to navigate an increasingly complex landscape. Our latest guide explores some of today's most-discussed longevity peptides, the current research behind each, and where they stand within the FDA's evolving 503A compounding framework.

Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>

*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.