Many of the existing diseases that strike us are poorly treated not because effective drugs don’t exist, but because there’s no reliable way of delivering the drugs to their intended destinations. Anyone following this publication will be familiar with the dozens of types of synthetic vessel that scientists have created to ferry drugs t (Read more...)
Tag: Medicine
Fluorescent Tags That Can’t Be Copied to Verify Authentic Drugs
Sales of counterfeit drugs are disturbingly common around the world. Some patients end up not receiving necessary treatments, while others are harmed by ingesting whatever substances are inside the fake pills. Researchers at Purdue University have now come up with a way to tag medications so that forgers can’t do the same to their fakes. [&he (Read more...)
Omron at CES 2020 Showing Off New Medical Grade Consumer Devices
At this year’s CES in Las Vegas, Omron, a company well known in the medical industry for pulse oximeters and blood pressure monitors, was showing off its latest products geared toward consumer use. We were able to stop by the firm’s booth to take a look at a couple exciting new devices that Omron recently […]
Deep Learning Method Developed to Aid Protein Docking, Speed Drug Research
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new deep learning algorithm, called DOVE, that can improve modelling of proteins and help create new drugs. The human body contains over 20,000 different types of proteins, which interact with each other to enable life as we know it. Currently, protein docking models have been developed to estimate (Read more...)
CES 2020: Aktiia Optical Blood Pressure Monitor
While at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, we were happy to see Aktiia there. The Swiss company has developed optical blood pressure monitoring technology that has already been tested quite extensively as far as its accuracy (see flashbacks below). We met the co-founder and CEO of Aktiia and here’s what he was able to tell […]
Wearables, Ingestibles, Invisibles: imec at CES 2020
The Belgian research organization imec has a dear spot in our hearts, as it helps to develop a lot of the technologies that power current and future medical devices (see flashbacks below). At CES in Las Vegas this year, imec’s Chris Van Hoof introduced us to the organization’s somewhat shifting focus toward wearable, ingestible, and, [& (Read more...)
Easy-to-Remove Superhydrophobic Bandage Speeds Clotting of Wounds
Researchers at ETH Zurich and National University of Singapore have developed a new type of bandage that does not stick to the wound while helping blood to clot beneath it. This is the first time scientists have combined both properties in one material and the capability allows the bandage to promote healing and be easily […]
Smartphone Camera Test for Urinary Tract Infections
Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a simple point-of-care test for urinary tract infections that uses a smartphone camera. The system can rapidly detect the presence of E. coli in urine samples and could guide doctors in their decision to prescribe antibiotics, ensuring appropriate patient care and avoiding the overuse of antimicr (Read more...)
Tumor Chip Incorporates Vascular System for More Realistic Drug Testing
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have developed a tumor-on-a-chip device that incorporates perfusable blood vessels to more accurately mimic real tumors that occur in the body. The researchers hope that the device will allow for more realistic and accurate testing of anti-cancer drugs in the lab, and have already shown that the flow of [&he (Read more...)
Body Sensors Made of Magical Self-Healing Threads
A team of scientists in South Korea has developed a remarkable new body sensor technology that consists of flexible threads that can heal on their own. The fabric-like threads, which are made of carbon fiber electrodes coated with a citric acid-based polymer, can measure electrolyte concentrations within sweat. The team used their material, which a (Read more...)
Laser Ultrasound System Images People’s Insides from a Distance
Clinical non-invasive ultrasounds require their transducers to make contact with the skin, as that allows high frequency vibrations to travel through the body. Many patients, including children, people with burns, and those with sensitive skin would rather be scanned using a contact-free system. Researchers at MIT have now shown that it is indeed p (Read more...)
PENTAX Releases EB19-J10U Ultrasound Video Bronchoscope in U.S.
PENTAX has announced that its new EB19-J10U endobronchial scope, having received FDA clearance, is coming to the United States. The device, intended for minimally invasive procedures such as Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) and EBUS-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), is touted by the company as providing “crystal clear visual (Read more...)
IllumiCare Report Finds More Providers Result in Longer Hospital Length of Stay (Interview)
When a hospitalized patient is engaged by more than three actively involved providers, the patient’s length of say (LOS) increases by a little over half a day for each additional provider. The correlation exists even when risk-adjusting with disease-related groups (DRGs) and it’s agnostic to the type of additional provider and whether t (Read more...)
FINDER Device for Bedside G6PD Deficiency Testing Cleared in EU
Baebies, a company out of Durham, North Carolina, just announced receiving the CE Mark for its FINDER device, clearing the way for it to be introduced in Europe. The device can help spot Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, the most common enzyme deficiency out there, a condition that can lead to bilirubinemia, jaundice, and hemolys (Read more...)
TAP At-Home Blood Collection System Now FDA Cleared
Seventh Sense Biosystems, a company based outside of Boston, MA, won FDA clearance for its TAP device to be used by laypersons to collect blood. Moreover, the device is now cleared to be used at home by individuals for “wellness testing,” according to the company. “We’re very excited about this clearance since it represents (Read more...)
Tandem’s t:slim X2 Insulin Pump Now with Control-IQ Auto Dosing
The FDA has just cleared the first intelligent insulin pump that can automatically administer correction boluses in addition to regulating insulin to prevent high and low blood sugar levels. Tandem Diabetes’ updated t:slim X2 insulin pump works with Dexcom’s G6 continuous glucometer and features Tandem’s new Control-IQ technology (Read more...)
SOZO System FDA Cleared for Protein Calorie Malnutrition Assessment
ImpediMed, a company based in Carlsbad, California, won clearance from the FDA for its SOZO device to assess protein calorie malnutrition. The condition can be common in cancer patients, so recognizing it before obvious symptoms, such as muscle wasting, appear is very important. Moreover, quite a few patients who don’t have cancer are malnour (Read more...)
Nihon Kohden’s New Patient Monitor for Outpatient Clinics
Nihon Kohden’s U.S. division, itself based in Tokyo, Japan, is launching a new vital signs monitor specifically designed to extend monitoring capabilities to outpatient facilities and to patient beds that typically wouldn’t have continuous vital signs monitors. The device lets clinicians quickly take readings on blood oxygenation, blood (Read more...)
Beta Bionics iLet Bionic Pancreas System Gets FDA Breakthrough Designation
Beta Bionics, a firm based in Boston, MA, won Breakthrough Device designation from the FDA for its iLet Bionic Pancreas System, a wearable designed to automatically control blood-sugar levels. Unlike traditional insulin pumps, the iLet doesn’t need any input from the patient about their dietary intake, insulin delivery rates, nor are bolus do (Read more...)
Aptar’s Nasal Unidose Device Helps Stop Epileptic Seizures
AptarGroup, a company based outside of Chicago, Illinois, has announced that the FDA recently approved a medication (NAYZILAM (midazolam)) for treatment of acute repetitive epileptic seizures and that the company’s Unidose Liquid System was chosen as the delivery mechanism for this rescue drug. The Unidose Liquid System doesn’t require (Read more...)