About this Research Topic
A digital twin (sometimes known as a virtual twin) is a concept that is mainstream in manufacturing, where a digital representation is created of an intended or actual real-world physical product, system, or process (the physical twin). The digital twin serves as an effectively indistinguishable digital counterpart to the physical twin and is used for practical purposes such as simulation, monitoring and maintenance. This concept has existed in medicine for decades, but unlike in industry, it has not found its way to practical day-to-day application in patient care. Despite this there is renewed research interest in this theme.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address if we are at the dawn of the digital twin in medical practice and what is needed to realize this. It will define the aspects of digital twin research that are near to translation and those that need substantially more preclinical development before practical application is possible. Digital Twins involve not only new forms of representation of information about patients, but also simulation methods and often AI-based predictive analytical methods. These raise regulatory and ethical questions, with differing approaches in differing countries - a goal of the Research Topic is to bring some clarity to these challenges alongside different proposed strategies and developments. The Research Topic will serve as a description of the state of the art and path to impact of digital twins in medicine.
The scope of this Research Topic is to address the following themes/questions about the translation of digital twins to medical practice:
- what is the current readiness for translation?
- what are the practical, interoperability and standardization challenges?
- what are the regulatory, legal and ethical challenges?
- what are the unique clinical validation questions?
- what is the route to widespread adoption?
- what are special considerations for health technology assessment and reimbursement?
Manuscripts about the technical development or preclinical validation of digital twins are of interest provided that they directly address a route to translation to routine medical practice.
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Dr Stephen Gilbert has or has had consulting relationships with Una Health GmbH, Lindus Health Ltd.; FLO Ltd, and Thymia Ltd., Ada Health GmbH and holds share options in Ada Health GmbH. All other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interest.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address if we are at the dawn of the digital twin in medical practice and what is needed to realize this. It will define the aspects of digital twin research that are near to translation and those that need substantially more preclinical development before practical application is possible. Digital Twins involve not only new forms of representation of information about patients, but also simulation methods and often AI-based predictive analytical methods. These raise regulatory and ethical questions, with differing approaches in differing countries - a goal of the Research Topic is to bring some clarity to these challenges alongside different proposed strategies and developments. The Research Topic will serve as a description of the state of the art and path to impact of digital twins in medicine.
The scope of this Research Topic is to address the following themes/questions about the translation of digital twins to medical practice:
- what is the current readiness for translation?
- what are the practical, interoperability and standardization challenges?
- what are the regulatory, legal and ethical challenges?
- what are the unique clinical validation questions?
- what is the route to widespread adoption?
- what are special considerations for health technology assessment and reimbursement?
Manuscripts about the technical development or preclinical validation of digital twins are of interest provided that they directly address a route to translation to routine medical practice.
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Dr Stephen Gilbert has or has had consulting relationships with Una Health GmbH, Lindus Health Ltd.; FLO Ltd, and Thymia Ltd., Ada Health GmbH and holds share options in Ada Health GmbH. All other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interest.
Keywords: Digital twins, Virtual twins, Clinical Decision Support, Electronic Patient Record, Diagnostic Decision Support
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
