7 Biggest Medical Innovations Waiting for Us in the Near Future

It is no secret that the healthcare industry is spearheading global technological advancement. Every year, we have access to new medical devices and drugs meant to improve our wellbeing and longevity. 

While some projects get scraped, a lot of them will see the light of day. Here are a few medical innovations that we will probably start using in the upcoming years.

Complex regional pain syndrome 

Complex regional pain syndrome, or simply CRPS, is an issue that is rarely mentioned by the mainstream media. This is a sensory condition that commonly affects arms and legs. After a trauma, a patient will experience pain which, instead of subsiding with time, only becomes worse. 

According to Dr. Katinka from the Spero Clinic, several new treatments for CRPS are currently being developed. The list of potential solutions includes deep brain stimulation, regenerative therapy, and the use of Neridronate. If just one of these therapies works, we will finally be able to treat patients suffering from the condition. 

PARP inhibitors

These inhibitors are a type of cancer medicine. The acronym PARP stands for poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase, and it represents a specific enzyme within the human body. These drugs should work by preventing the regeneration of cancer cells, which would cause their gradual death. 

Keep in mind that this type of drug is not new; scientists have worked on them for quite a while. The first two products were introduced in May 2020. Given their immense potential, the experts have continued working on them and, in the near future, we will probably see the more advanced version of the product.

Hepatitis C therapy 

Hepatitis C is a serious condition that can lead to numerous complications. Among others, a patient can experience liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure, and ultimately, death. Up to this day, we don’t have a vaccine that would address the problem. Furthermore, all the drugs that are available can lead to serious side effects. If that wasn’t enough, they only work on people with a specific genotype. 

A recent breakthrough might help us to finally tackle the issue. By utilizing a combination of drugs, a larger subset of patients will experience improvements. According to data, the new drug has more than 90% efficacy for genotypes from 1 to 6. The new drug produces fewer side effects, and it can potentially help more people compared to what we had in the past. 

A new type of migraine drugs

Migraine is a very common issue affecting millions around the world. While the problem is not lethal, it can negatively impact a patient’s quality of life. 

In the past, we would mostly rely on medicines with several different functions. However, we never had access to condition-specific drugs. So, the majority of treatments would yield mixed results. 

In the last few years, a new type of migraine drug was introduced meant to block calcitonin gene-related peptides. During a migraine episode, the levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide or CGRP would suddenly increase, causing all these symptoms. So, by blocking the peptide, we should also prevent all the issues that come with it.

Improvement in telemedicine

Although telemedicine is not a new invention, it was never that popular. However, its use has increased sharply in the last two years due to the COVID crisis. Basically, this is a concept where a doctor and a patient interact by using telecommunications. 

Since March of 2020, a few regulatory changes have expedited the use of telecommunications and the internet in medicine. Due to this sudden need, tech companies are now racing to create telehealth solutions that would improve the quality of interactive visits. 

Bubble CPAP

Bubble CPAP is a solution meant to help newborns. These systems assist babies who are suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. The condition can lead to permanent lung damage and chronic lung disease. 

With b-CPAP, you can avoid all of this. The method is completely non-invasive and will directly deliver the right airway pressure to an infant. What’s even more important is that you can use it for a prolonged period of time, thus avoiding any chronic conditions while simultaneously allowing normal development of the lungs. 

Treatment for cystic fibrosis 

At this moment, cystic fibrosis is incurable. A few treatments can reduce the symptoms, but we still don’t have a final solution to the problem.

The scientists hope that they will be able to develop drugs that would positively affect cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators. To be precise, this drug would help deal with the most common mutation that causes the issue in 90% of patients.