Fitbit Sense ECG and Google Home in Australia

[Heist]

Hello I upgraded my ionic to a fitbit sense. I'm in Australia and the main features I'm after is Google home and the ECG. I tried searching both the web and forums. Is their any information or an eta this features will be available in Australia? Thank you

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[niknaksdaman · Accepted solution]

Google assistant due to be part of an update later this year. Unclear whether it will be a fully featured version.

 ECG not available in Australia  due to lack of regulatory  approval. Specualtion in forums watching Apple watch situation here is that MAYBE after March next year when regulatory  changes will be passed that will make approval of such functionality on wearable devices "easier" However that's just just speculation. 

[Heist]

Thanks for the info. Is the Bluetooth call feature not active as well?

[Rich_Laue]

Are you asking about being able to talk and listen to a phone call through the tracker? If so, no it is not enabled  

[Heist]

Yeah that's what I was asking. These 3 features are the reason I upgraded. I'm really happy with the sense regardless. Fingers crossed we get ECG and can't wait for Google home and Bluetooth calling. Thanks for the info

[niknaksdaman]

Below is more detail regards to the regulatory  changes anticipated next year.

https://www.tga.gov.au/delays-commencement-certain-medical-device-regulatory-changes

[Heist]

Awesome thank you

[Heist]

Thanks for the info!

[CBV2]

Let me add my thanks for the info, too. As for the reasons why it's not available in Aus, I suspect it's not so much the regulatory body dragging its feet, as the regulatory body being beholden to the medical profession which is "concerned" about false positives. There was a recent article reported in The Verge

https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/1/21496813/apple-watch-heart-monitor-ekg-false-positive

[Heist]

I don't know if it was anecdotal or the salesman was misinformed (it was jbhifi) but he told me when I bought the sense that the ECG app was just waiting on TGA approval and that it was around the corner. Of course he was trying to make a sale and jbhifi do pay commissions. It seems like it is possibly a bit of both I have read because of covid the TGA is "behind" so to speak.Thanks for the article link. Fingers crossed it gets approved regardless.

[CBV2]

The really ridiculous aspect is that there is already an add-on product which provides this facility for iPhones.  At a cost. 

It has been available for a couple of years, I believe.  I attempted to include a URL but got stopped by the Reddit system.  However, if you Google Kardia ecg you should find it.

[klausadrift]

@CBV2 Of course there will be also some false positives. Personally I don't have a heart problem but I am pushing 68. Should I suddenly get an Afib reading after multiple "normal" readings, I would be a bit concerned and most probably would consult with my GP initially.

There is also a rising concern that medical costs will increase because of these unnecessary doctor visits due to a false positives, but I don't see it this way.

Medical science is constantly developing and there are already some devices worn externally or internally by patients, which communicate with a health specialist in order to minimise these doctor visits and/or trigger an immediate response.

Going from here, the trend to send diagnostics to your doctor remotely is already there. Being able to email my Sense ECG chart to my doc rather than doing a lengthy journey, would support this ongoing trend.

There will be of course another argument that all doctors will be deluged with these emails and not having enough time to deal with it.  But that's the way it is if they want to stay up to date with developments and may consider updating their clinic organization accordingly

And by the way last year Fitbit announced that it will be collaborating with Singapore’s Government to provide their population with fitness trackers in a nationwide public health initiative.

Live Healthy SG (https://livehealthysg.com), has been launched in response to Singapore’s rising tide of chronic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer; conditions that are increasingly affecting many countries around the world. This would be Fitbit’s first major integration of a digital health platform and wearables into a national public health program and was designed in partnership with the Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB) to guide Singaporeans to better health through the behaviour changes that wearables enable.

I am sure we will see more countries following this route in the near future.

[niknaksdaman]

Withings has just announced  that their smartwatch the scanwatch is launching on the 9th of November with ECG activated. Hopefully means other brands aren't that far behind. 

[Nattie_noo]

I also found this link. Which medical device is the FitBit classification under? reclassification , medical device software , personalised medical devices or systems or procedure packs

[Philharmonick]

Probably about time we got an update on this.

https://www.techradar.com/au/news/apple-watch-ecg-monitoring-one-step-closer-to-approval-in-australi...

[Philharmonick]

https://www.techradar.com/au/news/apple-watch-ecg-monitoring-one-step-closer-to-approval-in-australi...

Updates required please

[Soltek]

Yes, could we please get an update? Frustrating that a product is advertised with a particular feature that is not approved in our country...

[Philharmonick]

https://www.pickr.com.au/news/2021/apple-watch-ecg-is-officially-approved-in-australia/

Could we please have an ETA?

[Sharz1]

False positives would clog up our medical system with unnecessary visits to drs risking those of a more higher need being able to be seen timely. Our society has become highly anxious and quite often for no reason apart from an individuals insecurities. 

[Soltek]

I think that is a big assumption, the Withings ScanWatch has been providing this feature in Australia since Nov 2020, Apple is now about to roll this out, and don't forget consumer grad medical / fitness devices have been around for quite some time, blood pressure monitors, heart rate monitors, oxygen sensors etc. I think more information on our health is a good thing and will help society move towards being more prescriptive/predictive vs the break/fix where we are now. We have one of the best and well-resourced health systems in the world I think enabling a simple feature like ECG on a fitness device is a good thing.