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Digital Health

 

Innovative counsel on the convergence of health care, life sciences and technology

Digital health technology is quickly changing the way health care and life sciences industries operate. Dechert offers novel solutions with legal expertise that is multi-disciplinary, grounded with a commercial perspective and demonstrating a command of current and evolving technologies to for-profit and nonprofit businesses and their partners.

The digital health team at Dechert consists of life sciences, health care, technology, business, intellectual property and cybersecurity lawyers, along with litigators and other experts (tax, employment, etc.), to provide comprehensive transactional, regulatory and dispute resolution services in this emerging sector.

We have assisted clients with the application of digital technologies – through artificial intelligence, big data (including cloud computing), bioinformatics, robotics / machine learning and complex software algorithms – relating to smartphones, wearable devices, telemedicine technologies, email, web-based analysis and remote monitoring to enhance provider-patient communications, diagnostic and clinical decision-making, patient self-management, drug discovery and medical adherence.

  • The team handles business formation and capitalization, private and public equity and debt financings, M&A, collaborations, joint ventures and other commercial negotiations, regulatory compliance and general corporate governance and advice matters.

  • Of particular note is the draft and final guidance issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on which digital health products it will regulate as medical devices. Whether certain products will be FDA-regulated or not, and to what degree, are moving targets, and our team continues to monitor developments and advise clients accordingly.

  • Our lawyers advise our digital health focused clients on IP-driven matters, including patent reviews and commercial transactions, including strategic alliances, co-development arrangements, exclusive provider and distribution deals.

  • Team members draw upon our experience helping clients with the application of digital technologies (e.g., Internet, wireless, sensors, mobile ware, social networking, big data, cloud computing, robotics and artificial intelligence / machine learning) to health-related information technology, e-records, apps, wearable/wireless devices, drug discovery, diagnostics, bioinformatics and adherence and delivery software applications.

  • We assess clients’ privacy and security practices, develop programs to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and implement practices to safeguard protected health information.

  • In courts and international arbitration forums, our litigators represent clients in disputes stemming from licensing, collaboration, asset purchase, distribution and other agreements. As digital health technologies take further root, likely areas of dispute will be consumer fraud, false advertising and product disclosures and warnings.