The new administration of Donald Trump, fueled by the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, is showing tremendous interest in the “smart rings” of the Finnish company Oura. This small accessory, which at first glance looks like a simple piece of jewelry, is actually a sophisticated device that monitors heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature and sleep.

The central figure of this trend is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health, who aims for every American to wear such a device for 4 four years to take responsibility for personal health.

This vision aims to prevent disease and reduce federal costs, although it is supported by a current that is often skeptical of traditional medicine. Oura’s popularity has crossed party lines, being used by Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Department of Defense.

This success has seen the company’s value rise from $2.5 billion to $11 billion, turning it into an emblem. To expand the functionality, Oura has stepped up lobbying in the US, asking the FDA to review the regulations.

CEO Tom Hale proposes a new category: “digital health monitors,” which would allow devices to notify of problems like hypertension without the need for the lengthy certification process as a “medical device.”

Although the FDA has begun to ease some rules, competitors like Whoop remain skeptical. The main challenges remain data privacy and security. Oura’s collaboration with data analytics company Palantir has raised suspicions of mass surveillance, although the company denies the allegations.

Senator Bill Cassidy has proposed legislation to protect the confidentiality of this sensitive data with the same standards as medical data. Are we headed for an era where public health will hang on a finger, or is this the beginning of a new technological surveillance? /tesheshi.com/

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Source: prizrenpost