UpDoc has disclosed that its diabetes app received what it says is the first FDA clearance for medical software using patient-facing large language models. The move raises questions about the role of LLMs in treatment workflows.
Digital health company UpDoc is drawing attention after saying its app for people with diabetes received the first Food and Drug Administration clearance for medical software using “patient-facing large language models.” The company, founded in 2023, received clearance for the device in December and is now publicly outlining how it plans to use the technology in a care model meant to help health systems manage patients outside the clinic with AI support.
The cleared device centers on an app that helps patients manage diabetes using a treatment plan set by their doctor. It falls into the same product category as drug dose calculators that take inputs such as blood glucose readings and provide insulin dosing recommendations.
What sets UpDoc’s app apart, according to the source material, is its chatbot-like interface built on large language models, or LLMs. Patients can enter information by voice or text, and the device then responds with treatment instructions. The technology also sends information back to a doctor’s electronic medical record system to keep clinicians informed.
The report does not provide additional details about how the system is used in practice, beyond saying the company is positioning it as part of a broader model for managing diabetes care remotely.
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