❤️ Health Tech
Health Tech, or digital health, helps us understand and take control of our own health. But we also cover more traditional health news like medicines, vaccines and medical procedures.
🧬 First CRISPR treatment is now being given to patients
The first treatment using CRISPR technology has begun being administered to patients with sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Patients do not produce healthy hemoglobin. Casgevy uses CRISPR to modify the patient's own cells so they produce healthy hemoglobin.
🦟 New malaria vaccine delivered directly through mosquito bites
Scientists have developed a new method to vaccinate against malaria by letting genetically modified malaria parasites transfer via mosquito bites. The method provided 89 percent protection against malaria in the initial study.
🧫 One single test can now detect almost all known infections
The technology replaces multiple different tests with a single test, eliminating time-consuming guesswork in diagnosis and treatment of infections.
🦾 Robot learns surgery as well as surgeons by watching videos
A surgical robot trained by watching videos of experienced surgeons performed the same surgical procedures with the same precision as human doctors.
🩸 Stem cells from one's own body can cure type 1 diabetes
A 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes began producing her own insulin after stem cell transplantation. The woman has been insulin-free for over a year and can now eat whatever she wants.
🧫 DARTS takes up the fight against antibiotic resistance
A major research project called DARTS has been launched to combat antibiotic resistance. Researchers are using new methods such as AI and microfluidics to find new antibiotics faster. Improved diagnostics can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and slow down resistance development.
💉 New method can reduce diabetes medication dosing to once a month
French researchers have developed a system that can reduce the dosing of diabetes medication to once a month. The drug is particularly effective in managing type 2 diabetes and is available in both injectable and oral forms.
🎗️ Skin cancer decrease among younger people in Sweden, the first country in Europe
The risk of malignant melanoma is decreasing for people under 50 in Sweden since 2015. Improved awareness of sun protection and reduced access to tanning beds contribute to the decrease. Mortality from skin cancer has also decreased for age groups up to 59 years.
💉 World's first lung cancer vaccine being tested in clinical trials
Clinical trials of an mRNA vaccine against lung cancer have begun in seven countries. The vaccine is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of the disease. Approximately 130 patients will participate in the study and receive the vaccine along with immunotherapy.