Alexion and Aide Health partnership will provide two years’ free access to AI note-taking app Mirror.
People living with rare diseases are being offered two years’ free access to an AI-powered app that captures medical appointments and turns them into easy-to-read summaries of what was discussed and what happens next.
Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, is working with UK digital health technology company Aide Health to make Mirror available free of charge.
The app helps people remember and act on information from multiple appointments and specialists. Users can revisit what was discussed to reduce anxiety and uncertainty in complex care. They can then share their notes with relatives, carers or other clinicians, rather than repeating the information several times, which is a real burden for people living with rare disease.
More than 3.5 million people in the UK live with a rare condition. Many navigate long diagnostic journeys, repeated appointments and care across multiple specialists. The volume of unfamiliar medical information, combined with symptoms, fatigue and emotional pressure, can make it difficult to absorb what is said and understand what comes next.
Families and carers often help a person living with a rare condition keep track of this information. RareCare research found that 47% of people living with a rare disease surveyed felt their healthcare providers did not share information effectively, while 40% rated collaboration between doctors and services as poor or very poor.
Deborah Richards, VP & General Manager UK and Ireland at Alexion, said:
“People managing a rare disease can face a succession of appointments involving different specialists, unfamiliar terminology and complex decisions.
Our partnership with Aide Health will give them and their families a practical way to capture important information, revisit it in their own time and feel better prepared for conversations about their care."
Research demonstrates that between 40% and 80% of medical information can be forgotten immediately after an appointment. Recall declines as the amount of information increases, while almost half of the information remembered may be incorrect.
Mirror helps people understand and keep track of their care. It does not diagnose conditions, recommend treatments or make clinical decisions, and it is not a replacement for advice from a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional.
Users choose when to capture a consultation, and the app helps guide the patient in how to inform their clinician they are using it. Mirror is a Class I Medical Device registered with the UK regulator, the MHRA, and is transparent about its use of AI, with safety, accuracy and data protection prioritised throughout its design.
Personal information is handled securely and meets the highest standards of privacy and data protection. The app’s performance is regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure it continues to work safely, effectively and fairly.
Ian Wharton, Founder and CEO of Aide Health, said:
“Mirror launched one year ago, and we have been overwhelmed by the response from people navigating healthcare of all different kinds. We have seen it become particularly empowering for people living with complex conditions and rare diseases.”
1 in 4 people wait at least 5 years for a rare condition diagnosis. They see GPs, consultants, specialist nurses, and therapists across different departments and settings. Mirror acts as the patient’s consistent record, helping make this complexity more manageable.”
We are delighted to partner with Alexion to make this technology free of charge and help more people feel informed and confident with their health.”
Mirror is available through the Apple App Store and Google Play.
By helping people capture, understand and share information from appointments across different specialists and settings, the initiative supports the UK Rare Diseases Framework priority of better coordination of care and the England Rare Diseases Action Plan’s emphasis on using digital technology to give people more accessible information and support in managing their care.
Find out more at aide.health/rare
