Good News Israel presents video calls with your doctor; a cure for addiction and much more.

By: Michael Ordman

 

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Bacteria test in minutes

Israel’s Pocared Diagnostics has developed a device that can identify the bacteria in a sample within minutes, rather than current tests that take several days. The P-1000 employs fluorescence, optical analysis and artificial intelligence. It can also test the bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pocared-announces-real-time-identification-of-bacterial-species-and-antibiotic-resistance-markers-504239361.html
http://www.pocared.com/products/p-1000/technology

A cure for addiction

In clinical tests, scientists at Israel’s Bar Ilan University working with Canada’s McGill University discovered DNA methylation changes occur during an addict’s withdrawal process. These changes increased cravings and by administering a DNA methylation inhibitor, the cravings ceased.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/study-going-cold-turkey-worsens-addiction/

10,000 operations for spinal surgery guidance system

Spinal surgeons have now performed over 10,000 procedures using the Renaissance Guidance System (and its earlier Spine Assist version) developed by Israel’s Mazor Robotics. The system is now also being used to perform brain surgery.
http://mazorrobotics.com/mazor-robotics-guidance-system-successfully-completes-10000th-procedure/

And baby makes three

Israel’s Nuvo Group has developed the PregSense monitor for expectant mothers that need to keep a check on their fetus but do not require hospitalization. Sensors on an elastic harness transmit data via bluetooth to a smartphone for storage in the cloud that physicians can access.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/01/us-israel-mobile-foetus-monitor-idUSKBN0OH2NF20150601

Wristband stores medical profile

Israel’s MyMDband is a smart waterproof lifetime-guaranteed silicon band with a laser-engraved QR code on a stainless-steel buckle that displays all the data needed immediately after it’s scanned: prior medical conditions, current medications, allergies. Everything a paramedic needs to know.
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/medics-create-smart-wearable-bands-with-complete-medical-profiles/

Triple treatment stops lung cancer returning

Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute discovered how lung cancer cells adapt to stop the effectiveness of treatment that block tumor growth. So they have found a solution that targets the adaptations. Applying three treatments together stops tumor growth permanently.
http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Health-and-Science/Weizmann-Institutes-triple-treatment-stops-lung-cancer-cells-in-lab-from-returning-404924

Annotating DNA to prevent cancer

Israel Prize laureate Dr. Haim (Howard) Cedar of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem specializes in DNA annotation – the instructions that cells use to do their specific function. He is working to detect wrongly reproduced instructions in order to prevent, not merely cure, cancer.
http://www.yissum.co.il/media-center/news/27045

Hope for advanced cancer sufferers

Israel’s VBL Therapeutics reported good interim results from Phase 2 trials of its VB-111 cancer treatment. VB-111 reduced tumor size by at least 50% in most worst-case Mullerian (ovarian) cancer sufferers. It also extended the survival of patients with aggressive brain cancer (glioblastoma).
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/vbl-therapeutics-present-phase-1-181500462.html

UK cancer breakthrough – the Israeli connection

There was no mention of Israel in the international media reports about the recent cancer breakthrough at the Royal Marsden hospital in the UK. So I’d better tell you. Professor Jacob Schachter from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center was a key member of the UK’s research team.
http://nocamels.com/2015/06/drug-cocktail-immunotherapy-shrinks-cancerous-tumors/

The doctor will see you now

Israel’s Teva is investing tens of millions of dollars in American Well – a telemedicine company founded by Israeli doctor brothers Ido and Roy Schoenberg. A patient can contact American Well who will summon a doctor to an immediate video call. It’s like an on-line house call.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-teva-invests-in-online-doctor-american-well-1001041616

 

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