Elfie Voices: Rethinking Health

What if the biggest threat to your blockbuster isn't a competing molecule — but the patient who quietly stops refilling after month two?In this episode, Grace McNamara sits down with Mohamed El-Zayat, Elfie's new Country Manager for Egypt and the Middle East and a 22-year pharma veteran (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck) across marketing, global brand leadership, and patient access. Mohamed breaks down the three hidden competitors every chronic-disease brand faces — therapy dropout, the shrinking HCP-patient consult, and the post-prescription data blackout — and explains why a connected patient ecosystem, not another standalone app, is the strategic unlock.Inside the conversation:Why adherence, not rival brands, is the real battleground in chronic careHow Elfie Care is positioned to be "the most significant launch in healthcare in the next 10 years"Why longitudinal, patient-reported + wearable + lab data is pharma's next real-world evidence goldmineThe economics of replacing 65 fragmented PSP apps with one ecosystem spanning pharma, payers, ministries, HCPs, and pharmaciesWhat insurers, ministries of health, and brand teams should be asking nowA sharp, strategic listen for pharma executives, patient access leaders, RWE teams, and payer innovators.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

Most health systems overlook one of the most impactful, cost-effective tools in chronic disease: food. What if nutrition was not just lifestyle advice, but a direct, measurable clinical intervention?In this episode of Elfie Voices, Aya speaks with Débora Gapanowicz, a dietitian specialising in diabetes and functional nutrition, about rethinking the role of food in population health. Débora explains how everyday dietary choices can shape cardiometabolic biomarkers in real time, from blood glucose to blood pressure, highlighting nutrition as a powerful but often underused part of care.The conversation explores why nutrition has historically sat outside clinical practice, how digital platforms like Elfie are helping make it more measurable, and what the economic case looks like for integrating it more formally into healthcare systems.A thoughtful shift in perspective, with real implications for prevention, cost, and long-term outcomes.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

Elfie is bringing its full AI-powered chronic disease management platform to WhatsApp. Medication tracking, nutrition analysis, lab results, and real-time health coaching — all inside a conversation on the chat interface 2 billion people already use every day. No app download. No training. No storage barrier.In this episode of ElfieVoices: Rethinking Health, co-founders JF and Ofir join Grace to walk through what's coming and why it matters. For pharma: proactive adherence nudges that meet patients where they already are, replacing the compliance behaviors they can't sustain. For insurers: an AI engine that plugs into existing member apps without new infrastructure. For patients everywhere: a health coach available 24/7 in the chat they already use daily.They also take on the security question head-on — why WhatsApp's Business API actually reduces vulnerability points, stores zero patient data, and delivers end-to-end encryption most health apps can't match.Launching this summer. 

Many symptoms women experience every day are labelled as normal.But what if they are early warning signs of something more serious?In this episode, Aya sits down with Dr. Malathi, a UK-trained physician with a background in internal medicine and endocrinology, to unpack how symptoms like fatigue, hormonal changes, and disrupted sleep can point to underlying metabolic conditions.They explore why these signs are often dismissed, how delayed diagnosis impacts long term health, and why connecting the dots earlier could change outcomes entirely.It is also the approach we take at Elfie, bringing different aspects of health together rather than treating them in silos, so people can better understand patterns, risks, and progress over time.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

What if your health tools knew you well enough to nudge you away from the cookie shop — not with a generic alert, but guidance built around your data, your goals, and your life?Prof. Joe Kvedar has spent 40 years at the frontier of digital medicine. A Harvard Medical School dermatologist, former leader of a 60-person innovation center at Mass General, board chair of the American Telemedicine Association, co-chair of the AMA's digital medicine payment advisory group, and editor-in-chief of Nature's NPJ Digital Medicine — he's seen every wave of health tech and knows what actually works.In this episode, Joe and Grace explore how multimodal AI is bringing us closer to truly personalized "N of 1" care, why the human bond between clinician and patient remains irreplaceable, the reality of clinician burnout and "pajama time," and what the massive supply-demand gap in healthcare means for insurers, pharma, and care delivery.Released during Public Health Week 2026.ElfieVoices is a podcast by Elfie — exploring the people and ideas shaping the future of digital health.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

Obesity care is changing fast. New medications are reshaping what is possible, but they are only one part of the picture.In this episode, Aya sits down with with Dra. Larissa Caballero, a physician specializing in cardiometabolic and preventive medicine, with a focus on obesity care and lifestyle medicine to unpack where obesity treatment is heading and why daily habits still play a defining role in long-term outcomes.From shifting the perception of obesity as a lifestyle issue to recognizing it as a chronic condition, this conversation explores what modern, personalized care really looks like in practice.Because lasting change does not happen in the clinic. It happens in the small, daily decisions that follow.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠Elfie Global

What happens when you combine AI, messaging, and a system designed to scale healthcare access for entire populations? You get a new model of care—one that isn’t just evolving, but leapfrogging traditional healthcare systems.Across Africa, a powerful shift is underway:AI-driven pre-consultations that prepare and educate patientsMessaging platforms like WhatsApp as the front door to careDigitally enabled healthcare workers extending reach and impactAll built for speed, simplicity, and scale—without the constraints that slow other markets down.At the same time, millions of people remain undiagnosed with chronic conditions—creating one of the largest opportunities in global healthcare to improve outcomes and expand access.For pharmaceutical and insurance leaders, the implications are clear:Growth will be unlocked through earlier diagnosis and sustained engagementCompetitive advantage will come from ecosystems, not just productsAnd the markets moving fastest today may define the global standard tomorrowThis isn’t catching up.It’s leapfrogging what came before.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

In this episode, we unpack the shifting landscape of diabetes care and what it means for pharmaceutical companies and insurers. From the rapid rise of GLP-1 therapies to the expanding role but questionable value of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), innovation is reshaping how diabetes is treated, managed, and financed.But the biggest question remains: what actually scales for the hundreds of millions of people living with diabetes worldwide?Drawing on insights from the latest research and discussions at the Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) conference, the conversation explores how pharma–insurance partnerships, real-world evidence, and patient-centered behavioral strategies are redefining the future of chronic disease management.For pharma executives, insurers, and healthcare leaders, this episode examines the economic and clinical forces driving the next playbook for diabetes at global scale.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠Elfie Global

This episode dives into how simple reflective check-ins on sleep, mood, and energy can transform everyday data into powerful early-warning signals, helping you spot stress before it spirals.​Joining us is Vivian, Elfie’s own mindfulness and meditation instructor, certified nutritionist, and health content writer, who brings a unique blend of neuroscience, behavior science, and practical coaching to the conversation. Vivian is passionate about turning evidence-based insights into accessible tools, empowering people to upgrade their well-being through mindful routines, smarter tracking, and science-backed education.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠Elfie Global

AI is flooding into healthcare, but where is it actually making a difference? In this episode, Ofir Ejnes, Jean-Francois Legourd and Grace McNamara explore the surge of clinical AI tools, from AI scribes to the deeper challenges of trust, regulation, and data quality. The discussion moves beyond hype to examine what it will take for AI to genuinely improve care, workflows, and patient outcomes.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

Health apps aren’t dead. But many are failing to deliver real health impact. In this episode, we unpack why the digital health ecosystem has become so fragmented and why AI has pushed the industry into a “wild west” phase of rapid innovation without clear structure.Ofir Ejnes, Jean-François Legourd, and Grace McNamara explore what it will take to move beyond thousands of disconnected apps towards real health infrastructure. From building patient motivation and trusted AI systems to structuring health data and forging partnerships with pharma, insurers and public health systems, the conversation looks at how digital health can finally deliver meaningful outcomes.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie Global

High blood pressure is a silent killer. Patients don’t feel it, and that’s exactly what makes it dangerous.In this episode, we meet Erica, a hypertensive patient from Brazil whose diagnosis came completely out of the blue. She was eating well, exercising, doing everything “right.” Then one day, out of casual curiosity, she checked her blood pressure, and the numbers were alarmingly high.No symptoms. No warning. Just data.Erica’s story is a powerful reminder that when it comes to hypertension, waiting to feel unwell can mean waiting too long. We explore what it takes to move from reactive care to proactive awareness, the discipline of monitoring even when life feels fine, and why consistent measurement can be an act of prevention.This conversation dives beyond clinical facts into real life. Why don’t patients measure unless they feel sick? Why does prevention still seem optional? And what does personal responsibility mean in a world built around treatment rather than early detection?

A prescription only works if it’s taken. Yet in cardiovascular care, consistency is often the weakest link. In this episode, cardiologist Dr Mario Fritsch, one of Brazil’s leading voices in heart health, Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of the Biomedical Center at UERJ and former President of the Brazilian Society of Hypertension, takes us inside the adherence crisis shaping cardiovascular care. Drawing on decades of clinical and academic experience, he shares what really happens when heart medication is missed, delayed or quietly stopped.We unpack the real reasons patients fall off track, from psychology to everyday pressure, and explore what actually changes behaviour. From stronger doctor–patient relationships to smarter digital tools that support tracking, reminders and accountability between visits, this is a conversation about moving beyond blame and building systems that make consistency easier, and heart care safer.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠Elfie Global

In this episode of Elfie Voices, we speak with Eman El-Menshawy, a diabetes advocate with 30+ years of lived experience and the founder of Eman Diabetic Diaries.We unpack what daily life with diabetes really looks like, how community helps rebuild confidence, and why sharing real stories plays a powerful role in breaking stigma. We explore where gaps still exist between clinical care and real life, and what healthcare leaders can learn by listening closely to patient voices.From education and trust to engagement beyond the clinic, this episode is a reminder that the most effective care is built with lived experience at its centre.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Elfie⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠Elfie.en⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠Elfie Global

In this episode of Elfie Voices, the conversation explores the growing challenges facing traditional clinical trials and why existing models are struggling to keep up.The episode features Professor Otavio Berwanger, Chair of Clinical Trials at Imperial College London and Executive Director of The George Institute for Global Health UK. A physician-scientist, he has led large-scale international large-scale  randomized trials and implementation science studies across cardiometabolic diseases, working closely with academic groups, trial networks, regulators, industry, and health systems worldwide.Drawing on lessons from large-scale trials and the COVID-19 pandemic, the discussion examines why traditional methodologies often struggle with slow timelines, limited diversity, and low patient engagement, and why these limitations matter for both evidence quality and real-world impact.The episode also explores how digital transformation and tools like ElfieResearch providing real-world data, can help streamline trial processes, expand access, and better reflect how care is actually delivered, while adapting research design to the realities of patients’ lives.Follow us:LinkedIn: ⁠Elfie⁠Instagram: ⁠Elfie.en⁠Facebook: Elfie Global