.png){kind=logo}
Health tech companies are displaying advanced gadgets at the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas. The products are marketed to have the ability to decipher heart health using foot scans and predict fertility based on AI-assisted hormone levels.
The companies’ intentions are clear: Prompting consumers to make health-conscious choices because smart devices have arrived. However, experts are not convinced.
Experts cautioned that most consumer health devices are not medically validated. Although technology can be helpful with health imaging and appointment booking, it can perpetuate inequality and spread misinformation.
“These tools do not replace trained medical professionals,” said Cindy Cohn from the Electronic Frontier Foundation in an effort to warn users against turning to AI tools for medical advice.
During CES, the US Food and Drug Administration declared it would relax regulations for ‘low-risk’ wellness products such as heart rate monitors and wheelchairs. This announcement aligns with President Donald Trump’s initiative to roll back all forms of regulatory barriers to AI innovation.
The White House has already repealed protections established during former President Joe Biden’s administration. The Department of Health and Human Services has outlined plans to integrate more AI in healthcare.
Despite the advances, privacy is a cause for concern. There are no laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, to protect consumer health devices. They have the potential to use the information offered to train AI or sell to other parties.
“It’s not uncommon that in the fine print, you have to read to understand what’s happening with your data,” Cohn said. It’s not a fair use of the tools that people rely upon. It’s not necessary.
Also Read: ‘Nobody Can Avoid It’: Lenovo’s Stark AI Warning at CES 2026
Startups claim to address gaps in the healthcare industry. Sylvia Kang, founder and CEO of Mira, a start-up that tracks hormonal imbalances in women, showed that their Rs. 20,750 product “enables women to better comprehend their hormonal condition through AI-based analysis.” She added that Mira securely stores data and never shares it.
Women’s health took center stage at the CES event, filling the gap of research that has occurred for many years concerning fertility, menopause, or per.
Some startups have promoted the use of AI to benefit communities. There are AI-powered chatbots that feature the ability to explain symptoms and offer a second opinion. Nevertheless, it is a consensus that these applications should assist, rather than replace, the doctor.
“These are tools,” Cohn explained, “not oracles.”
