5 Technologies Changing Healthcare in 2022
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Loading... - Elias Toro
- 03 Aug 2022
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Medical tech is developing quickly in 2022. Changing research priorities and advanced technology, like artificial intelligence, are playing a significant role in this sector. They are helping researchers pioneer new therapies, medical devices, drugs and tests.
In the very near future, we’re likely to see significant advancements in mRNA technology, cancer research, medical smart devices and more.
These are five of the most important advancements that will help reshape biotech and medicine in 2022.
1. New mRNA Vaccines
The past few years have drawn significant attention to mRNA technology and vaccines. It’s best known for enabling the development of COVID-19 vaccines, and researchers are already at work applying mRNA to other diseases.
The National Institutes of Health has already launched three different trials for mRNA HIV vaccines. Experts predict that influenza and potentially cancer inoculations are also probably on the way.
Now that investment in the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has unlocked the technology’s potential, researchers may have a clear path toward developing various mRNA vaccines for diseases that are currently difficult to prevent. (Read also: How AI and Bots Could Improve Vaccine Delivery.)
2. Telemedicine and Smart Medical Devices
Telemedicine and telehealth have become high-demand medical services over the past few years. The right technology enables doctors to provide clinical and nonclinical services over the internet.
Telemedicine and telehealth offer patients significant benefits — primarily improved comfort, greater convenience and better accessibility for people who may otherwise struggle to see a provider in person. However, doctors may not be able to collect all the information they need from a patient over the web.
Smart medical devices and wearables can help change this. Medical device manufacturers are creating a new generation of smart medical technology that will allow providers to remotely capture important health information, making telemedicine even more effective.
In the near future, wearables that capture information like heart rate or blood oxygen levels will help doctors track patient health, even when an in-person visit isn’t practical.
3. Better Cancer Tests and New “Basic Research” Investment
Cancer experts and organizations like the American Association for Cancer Research say researchers will spend 2022 focusing more on basic science or “fundamental research about the way cells and molecules function and interact.” The “basic” in basic science doesn’t mean simple — instead, it implies it will help lay the foundation for more advanced therapies and specific treatments.
A better understanding of how cells shift between different states could help researchers better understand how cellular control mechanisms that typically prevent cancer may fail. This could enable scientists to return cells to normal function to slow or stop the development of cancer.
Basic science may also help make cancer testing much more effective. Available gold-standard tests involve radiographers interpreting mammograms or CT scans of a patient’s lungs to diagnose breast and lung cancer. Read More...
