Consumer technology has advanced rapidly over the past few decades, with modern devices and applications becoming central tools in our daily lives. But for patients that rely on medical implants to maintain their health, next-generation consumer technology is not always a welcome addition – in fact, it can be seriously harmful.

The issue gained mainstream attention earlier this year, when technology giant Apple released a list of consumer tech that it advised should be kept a safe distance away from implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators to prevent potential magnetic interference.

But is it realistic to expect patients to avoid such widely used items, or should medical manufacturers be looking for solutions to prevent such events from happening? In this issue, we take a look at the issue of magnetic interference and ask how the medical and tech industry could address the problem.

Also, with artificial intelligence continuing to make waves in healthcare, we ask if regulators are prepared to keep pace with rapid innovation in the sector, track the rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, and examine if a test for chronic fatigue syndrome could be on the horizon.

For all this, plus the latest insight and analysis from GlobalData, read on.

Eloise Mclennan, editor