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For astronauts undertaking lengthy missions in outer space, muscle loss presents a serious health risk. To help combat the effects of micro-gravity on the body, researchers have been exploring the potential of using nanofluidic delivery systems that gradually release drug doses to the patient. We take a look at the success of the implant in mice subjects, and examine the need for coders and coding standards as medical devices become more sophisticated.

Also in this issue, we examine the capability of mental health apps, explore the rise of South Korea as a medical technology hotspot following the country’s high-profile response to Covid-19, and as telehealth enjoys a surge in popularity amid lockdown and social distancing measures, we look to the future to see how remote appointments could change healthcare as we know it.

Plus, we speak to US-based epigenetics company Volition to learn what’s next for blood testing technology in the cancer space, find out what the MDR delay means for European medtech in a special roundtable feature, and take a look at the data privacy implications of digital immunity passports: do the negatives outweigh the positives?

All this, plus the latest trends, insight and analysis in medical devices and technologies from GlobalData.

 

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In this issue

Mus musculus: how nanofluidic drug delivery could counter muscle loss in space
Muscle atrophy presents a significant health risk for astronauts, who can lose around 40% of their muscle mass after six months in microgravity. To combat this issue, researchers at Houston Methodist Academic Institute fitted mice with tiny nanofluidic devices capable of slow releasing a drug called formoterol and sent them to space for 56 days. Chloe Kent finds out what is to be gained from studying muscly mice in space.
Read the article here.

Coding in medtech: setting standards for the digital age
Coding standards aren’t as pervasive in medical technology as they are in many other safety-critical sectors. As medical software becomes ever more sophisticated, what are the benefits of adopting consistent coding standards in device development? Chris Lo speaks to Creo Medical’s software development director James Thomas to find out more.
Read the article here.

Will digital mental health solutions thrive after Covid-19?
Talking therapies for mental health conditions are among countless medical interventions that have been disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and many patients have now turned to digital solutions to supplement their usual in-person treatment. But are digital mental health systems struggling to make up for the face-to-face connection lost in lockdown, or is this a watershed moment for the delivery of mental health treatment? Chloe Kent reports.
Read the article here.

South Korea: the rise of a new medtech giant? 
South Korea has gained attention for its approach to controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, the South Korean Government is looking to use this increased trust in Korean-made devices to boost the country’s medical device industry. Abi Millar takes a look at the current state of manufacturing in South Korea, and what increased investment could mean for the country’s medical device industry.
Read the article here.

Is there a bright future for telemedicine in a post-Covid world?
In the US, officials have opened up access to telehealth as part of efforts to control the spread of Covid-19. Natalie Healey speaks to Dr Nicol Turner Lee from the Brookings Institution Center for Technology Innovation about how remote consultations may change healthcare in the wake of the pandemic.
Read the article here.

Q&A: discussing cancer blood testing tech with Volition
Epigenetics company Volition is developing new technologies for cancer blood testing. Building on its Nu.Q platform, which has been described as an ‘epigenetic toolbox’, Nu.Q Capture enriches circulating tumour nucleosomes and tumour DNA in samples, allowing for earlier cancer detection. Abi Millar finds out more about the future of blood testing technology in the cancer space.
Read the article here.

What does the MDR delay mean for the European medtech sector?
In April, the European Parliament voted to delay the implementation of the EU’s Medical Device Regulation by a year, in the hopes of allowing the medical device industry to prioritise its Covid-19 response efforts. The regulation is intended to update the Medical Devices Directive of 1992, focusing more heavily on a product’s whole lifecycle rather than merely the approval process. But how are different European medtech companies responding to the delay? Chloe Kent charts their reactions in a special roundtable piece.
Read the article here.

Covid-19 immunity passports: how to protect health data
Immunity passports certifying that someone has already had Covid-19, and should therefore be immune from future infection, have been discussed by many governments as a way to ease lockdown restrictions imposed across the world. Allie Nawrat explores the concept of immunity passports and asks, how can we ensure patient data is secure?
Read the article here.

 

Next issue preview

Despite the widely acknowledged need to redesign the speculum, no fundamentally new design of the device has become mainstream since the late 1800s. We take a look at the existing format, as well as the designs that have failed to replace it, to find out why it is so difficult to redesign the speculum. Plus, as the topic of race in medical research moves into mainstream conversation, we investigate recent findings that AI-based algorithms used in the US to guide healthcare decisions have implicit racial bias.

Also in the next issue, find out how mini factories are being used to combat emergency medical equipment shortages, take a look at stackable 3D-printed bone bricks designed to fill gaps left by blast injuries, and examine how uncaging equipment repair tools could transform med tech.

Moreover, we speak to SonicWall about building a secure contact tracing app, round up key features of the self-charging medical devices trend, and profile Japanese company CureApp and its work in the NASH space.