Innovations can affect healthcare systems at a micro-, meso- or macro-level. The latter refers to the entire system, including its structures, processes and paradigms.
Abiraterone
A team led by Professor Mike Jarman at the ICR’s Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery set out to design drugs that directly block a chemical called CYP17, which helps produce testosterone. This is the hormone that fuels prostate cancer growth. They successfully synthesised a chemical called CB7598, which later became generic abiraterone manufactureracetate, and tested it in cells and in animals with cancer, before moving on to human trials.
The result was a remarkable improvement in survival, particularly among those who had non-metastatic disease at diagnosis. Men on the combination of ADT plus abiraterone lived almost a third longer than those on ADT alone. The ADT and abiraterone groups also saw a significant reduction in the risk of bone-related complications.
Abiraterone was first approved in 2011 and is used for patients with metastatic prostate cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body), when medical or surgical castration and chemotherapy containing docetaxel have no effect or have stopped working. It is given together with prednisolone, a steroid that reduces the side effects of the treatment. It is available on prescription in the UK under the brand name Zytiga.
Tony is one of those lucky enough to have access to abiraterone via his private medical insurance, and it has given him a new lease on life. He is able to enjoy spending time with his grandchildren and can continue to lead an active lifestyle. His experience of abiraterone and other cutting-edge treatments is a reminder of the power of scientific discovery to transform lives.
Lapatinib
Lapatinib ditosylate, also known as TYKERB, is a cancer medication that treats certain types of breast cancer by inhibiting the growth of tumor cells. It is a type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking a protein called HER2 that allows cancer cells to grow and spread. This medication is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
Lapatinib distributoris given orally in tablet form. It is taken once daily on an empty stomach, one hour before or one hour after a meal with a glass of water. Your doctor may adjust your dose based on how well you tolerate it and your response to treatment. It is important to take this medication as directed by your doctor, and not to miss any doses.
Some side effects of this medication can be serious, including heart problems. Your doctor will check your blood for signs of a decreased heart function before starting this medication and during therapy. Patients should report any heart-related symptoms to their doctors right away.
This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy, as it can harm an unborn baby. It is also not safe to breastfeed while taking this medicine, and the mother should not breastfeed for at least 1 week after finishing the course of treatment. This medication can interact with a number of other drugs, so your doctor should be aware of all your current medications (prescription and over-the-counter) as well as vitamins and herbal supplements. This medication can increase your risk of bleeding and bruising. It is important to tell your doctor if you have any bleeding or bruising problems. Also, this medication can cause diarrhea and skin rash.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative Medicine focuses on developing therapies that can replace or supplement damaged human cells, tissues, and organs. It is a field that holds promise for treating diseased and wounded tissue, decreasing the need for transplantation, and even curing disease in some cases. Regenerative medicine has evolved from previous medical activities and technologies, such as surgery, surgical implants, hospital procedures, and tissue engineering.
One of the most promising areas of regenerative medicine is stem cell therapy. This involves growing specialized cells in the lab, then instructing them to behave like different kinds of cells in your body. Scientists have already used this approach to create heart muscle, bone, and nerve cells. They are also working on generating liver and kidney cells.
Another area of regenerative medicine is tissue engineering and biomaterials. This is when scientists use materials, such as metals, ceramics, or polymers, to create three-dimensional structures that mimic the way natural tissue grows and functions. These structures can then be implanted into your body to help it heal.
Regenerative medicines can also help with chronic conditions, such as diabetes. For example, if you have diabetes, doctors can treat your condition with devices that deliver insulin to your body. Using these devices can help you avoid complications, such as hypoglycemia, which is a low blood sugar level.
Despite the potential of regenerative medicine, there are still many challenges that need to be overcome. For example, it is important to ensure that the food and drug administration (FDA) has enough staffing to review and approve new treatments quickly. The agency needs to ensure that the treatments meet certain safety and efficacy requirements before they can be marketed and sold to patients.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
As AI evolves, it is being integrated into healthcare settings to automate repetitive tasks, instantly share data and organize operations, saving medical establishments precious productivity hours. As a result, physicians can spend more time interfacing with patients and diagnosing illnesses. AI is also being used to help doctors better understand patients’ needs and improve health outcomes.
Currently, AI can improve disease diagnosis, optimize medication dosages, enhance population health management, establish guidelines, provide virtual health assistants, support mental healthcare, and educate patients. However, several challenges must be addressed in order to successfully implement AI into clinical practice. These include patient privacy concerns, data security, and the need for human expertise.
The most obvious risk of incorporating AI into clinical practice is the possibility that the system could make errors. For example, if an AI algorithm recommends a drug that has a dangerous interaction with another, or fails to notice a tumor on a radiological scan, patients may be at risk of injury or illness.
Although AI is becoming more reliable, it must be carefully monitored and tested to ensure its safety. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that any software is designed with a robust error-handling mechanism and has access to the necessary data for its analysis. Additionally, the algorithms that drive AI must be unbiased and based on relevant evidence to prevent bias.
Moreover, the implementation of AI requires a collaboration between computer scientists and clinicians to develop best practices for its use in healthcare. By combining current best practices for ethical inclusivity, software development, and implementation science, the healthcare community can create more effective and efficient tools. This will ultimately allow for the responsible and successful use of AI in clinical practices.
