The pandemic has forced the world to innovate and work together like never before. Despite all the ugliness, it has been shown that great things can happen when the greatest minds in medicine, science, and technology work together.
As countries continue to introduce vaccines and the world hopes to finally get the upper hand against COVID-19Many people are excited to see what the future of medicine will look like.
Where is the future of medicine going?
Read on to learn what to expect in the decades to come.
Medicines coming from a 3D printer
A few decades ago people would have laughed if you told them that one day there would be an invention that could make chocolate, guns, and houses.
This is no longer science fiction today, and the truth is that health professionals expect 3D printers to do even more in the future.
Pharmaceutical companies have started using 3D printers to make medicines. For example, scientists have used them to make Spriatam, a drug that helps with epilepsy. 3D printers can produce the drug layer by layer and help the body dissolve it faster.
A group of scientists in London are also studying the use of 3D printers to make medicines in various shapes. Imagine going to your local’s home pharmacy to pick up a dinosaur shaped pill for your kids!
Health insurers use tech to offer incentives
Several years ago, several insurance companies like United Healthcare announced that they were partnering with Garmin and Samsung as part of a national wellness program.
Individuals who enroll in these programs can receive financial incentives for achieving a number of daily goals, such as: B. walk a certain number of steps. The aim is to encourage people to stay active and healthy.
Of course, these types of programs also raise a number of new questions. How much patient data do these companies have access to? What can you do with it?
Food grown in the laboratory
Given the increasing climate change, experts fear that this will affect the global food supply. Some scientists and medical professionals have started using food from the laboratory as a possible solution.
For example, Cultured meat removed cells from a cow, fed them and eventually created muscle tissue. Similar organizations hope that laboratory-grown food will be a viable alternative to traditional options in the next few years.
Aside from beef, other companies around the world have created everything from artificial chorizo to foie gras.
Animal-free clinical studies
One of the downsides to advances in drugs and pharmaceuticals is that the majority of drug companies rely on animal testing. Rabbits, mice and primates are some of the many animal species that have to undergo horrific procedures and treatments.
Although inhuman, many people believe that it is a means to an end. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?
Industry experts hope that in the years to come, companies can rely on silico studies to test the effectiveness of drugs. This means that, unlike animal or human testing, computer simulations are used for drug testing.
Apart from saving countless animals, this would also be cheaper.
Robotic surgical assistants
The billion dollar industry for surgical robots has grown exponentially in recent years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
What Makes Robot Assistants So Effective?
Think about all the things that can go wrong during surgery. A doctor may have the best education in the world, but he can make a mistake. They might be tired and unable to concentrate, or even sad and unmotivated to do their job.
Robots don’t have any of these problems and don’t make mistakes (provided they have the right programming).
Not only do you expect to see them in operating theaters, but also expect robots in other areas like pharmacies and sanitation.
Machine Learning Advances
In traditional setups, people have to program computers to behave and work in a specific way. In contrast, machine learning gives computers the knowledge they need to learn and adapt on their own.
If this sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, it isn’t. Machine learning is already present in many areas of our lives, from fraud detection software to Instagram.
When it comes to healthcare and medicine, machine learning can use algorithms to make predictions. For example, organizations like the CDC can predict where the next measles outbreak will be and how severe it will be.
Gene editing technology
What if you didn’t have to worry about taking any medication at all? What if your body was immune to common diseases?
With genome editing techniques, that reality may not be too far away.
Thanks to cutting-edge technology, scientists can modify genes and change the way organisms work. For example, scientists have been able to create mosquitos to resist malaria-causing parasites.
Like many advances in science and medicine, gene editing technology raises a number of ethical and moral concerns. It’s about influencing the lives of future generations, which is why it’s so important to take it seriously.
Embrace the future of medicine and healthcare
When science and technology grow, so does medicine. Although no one can predict exactly what the future will be, experts can make predictions based on current trends and progress.
As this guide explains, the future of medicine appears to be one of innovation, accessibility, and promise.
Do you now have a better understanding of what the future of medical technology looks like? If you do, check out some of our other articles for more science and technology input.
