Latest News — Page 89

People with Parkinson’s disease rarely receive proper care because of a lack of access to neurological care. In the US, about 40% of those aged 65 or older with PD do not receive care from a neurologist. Access is even more limited in developing regions. Experts suggest an AI-based method to measure Parkinson’s disease severity using a remote finger-tapping test. Researchers developed a model that uses AI techniques to evaluate motor performance severity of patients. Through performing finger-tapping tasks at […]

The pharmaceutical landscape is ever-evolving, with innovative technologies continually reshaping the development, manufacture, and testing of biological medicinal products. However, these advancements also present regulatory challenges that need to be navigated for the benefit of patients. Rapid Sterility Testing Rapid sterility testing is a promising approach for cell and gene therapy products. However, it requires compliance with the Ph. Eur. 2.6.1 test for sterility, which is time-consuming due to the need for microbiological culture. Clearer regulatory guidance is needed to […]

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Early identification can ease this to ensure early access to treatment. Developed nations have vast mammography screening programs, but interpreting the images is still hard. The accuracy of cancer detection varies widely among experts, and the potential for improvement is significant. False positives can lead to patient anxiety, unnecessary follow-up, and invasive diagnostic procedures. Sometimes screening cannot identify cancers until they are more advanced and less amenable to […]

Significant progress is being made in healthcare by Pieces Technologies Inc. Healthcare professionals use its Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform to manage cases, plan discharges, and reduce hospital stays. Recently, the AI wrote its one-millionth clinical summary – in just seven months. This displays the role and impact that AI can have in healthcare. The Pieces system uses advanced technology and human help to ensure high accuracy while maintaining a hallucination rate of less than 0.1%. “Hallucinations” refer to instances where […]

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) recently welcomed an executive delegation from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to its Rockville headquarters. This visit marked the culmination of a two-part series, during which both organisations exchanged ideas and explored areas of expanded technical collaboration. Strengthening the Bond In 2022, USP and SAHPRA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aiming to expand the availability of health products that are safe, effective, and of assured quality. The partnership also seeks to […]

The escalating prevalence of chronic diseases coupled with an ageing population is leading to a significant surge in demand for continuous home and institutional care. With professional resources in Québec becoming increasingly limited, virtual care tools have emerged as a crucial solution to ensure access to care and services. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of virtual care tools, promoting continuity of care when in-person visits became risky or impossible. These tools, ranging from telemonitoring to teleconsultation, are becoming […]

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Swiss firm Xlife Sciences have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a bid to fortify the Emirate’s life-sciences sector. The agreement, which was signed at the Department’s Headquarters, aims to enhance innovation, funding opportunities for life sciences start-ups, and clinical research within the Emirate. The collaboration is part of DoH’s ongoing efforts to establish Abu Dhabi as a global hub for healthcare and life sciences. It will provide incubation training, […]

The demand for continuous home and institutional care is escalating due to the ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. This demand is further amplified by the current context of limited professional resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked the deployment of virtual care tools, ensuring access to care and services while promoting continuity of care. Virtual care modalities have been integrated into care pathways and are increasingly used in the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients in specialty […]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have launched a new initiative aimed at providing Medicare patients with better access to emerging technologies. The Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET) pathway, announced on June 22, 2023, aims to promote faster access to new technologies while implementing transparent, predictable, and efficient coverage review processes. The TCET pathway is part of a broader coverage modernization initiative that focuses on certain US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) devices designated by the Breakthrough […]

Large Language Models (LLMs) are gaining prevalence in healthcare. OpenAI, in collaboration with Microsoft Research, is exploring the use cases of such technology in healthcare and medical applications. They aim to understand the opportunities, limitations, and risks in this context. Google’s Language Model for Dialog Application or “LaMDA” (replaced by their Pre-training with Abstracted Langage Modeling “PaLM”) and OpenAI’s previous Generative Pretrained Transformer 3.5 (GPT-3.5) have also been under study for medical applications. Interestingly, these LLMs, although not specifically trained […]

We are excited to announce the launch of our new newsletter, “Value Science Weekly”. This weekly digest is designed to keep you up-to-date on the latest trends, insights, and breakthroughs in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), Global Market Access, and Dynamic Intelligence. In our next week’s issue, we delve into the transformative potential of virtual care in neurology, as highlighted by the World Health Organization. The rising demand for continuous home and institutional care, driven by an ageing population […]

Robot-Assisted Surgery (RAS) is a technologically advanced form of minimally invasive surgery, offering a higher degree of precision compared to traditional laparoscopic methods. RAS allows surgeons to control the instruments of the robotic system remotely, providing a further minimally invasive surgical option for patients. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently 19 known manufacturers of robotic systems designed to aid in surgical procedures. The most widely used among these is the da Vinci® Surgical System. The Austrian […]

Electronic Health Record (EHR) data in biomedical research has seen a significant surge, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These rich data records are perfect for complex analyses, including machine learning and artificial intelligence. However, the quality of this data has drawn much concern. Despite the critical role EHR data plays in healthcare and its frequent use in biomedical research, its quality is often overlooked. This presents a need for a standardised approach to evaluate EHR data quality. In 1996, Wang […]

As the world grapples with an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for continuous home and institutional care is expected to rise significantly. This growing need, coupled with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a major advance in the use of virtual care tools. These tools have been instrumental in ensuring access to care and services, promoting continuity of care, and are now being integrated into care pathways for the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of […]

The recent outbreaks of epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases have underscored the importance of timely and effective systems for outbreak detection, notification, and response. Early detection and response are crucial in preventing the escalation of outbreaks of infectious disease. To enhance the identification and control of these threats, ambitious and achievable targets are required. In response to this need, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the Early Action Review (EAR), a performance improvement approach used to evaluate the timeliness of […]

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues, leading to inflammation in the joint membrane or the synovial membrane. This condition is the most prevalent type of arthritis in children under the age of 16. JIA is included in the Chronic Disease List (CDL) of the Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB) regulations under Rheumatoid Arthritis in South Africa. This means that medical schemes are obligated to fully fund […]