2024: a year full of medical milestones contributing to Universal Health

Representative milestones are reached every year in all areas, but especially in health, and 2024 has been no exception: advances have reached new heights, offering new horizons of treatments and lines of research that will undoubtedly have a major impact on global health, will undoubtedly have a major impact on global health. Although there has been a lot of good news this year, we would like to highlight 10 milestones in R&D&I that we believe will help to ostensibly improve people ‘ s quality of life. And what better way to do this than on Universal Health Day.

1. Development of a new antibiotic compound that overcomes various forms of antimicrobial resistance. USresearchers have this year discovered an innovative antibiotic that shows efficacy againstmulti-drug resistant bacteria. that shows efficacy against multi-drug resistant bacteria , offering hope in the fight against resistant infections.

The synthetic antibiotic, called cresomycin, proved effective against multi-resistant strains of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Two of these bacteria are included in the list of priority pathogens for which new priority pathogens for which new antibioticsare ” urgentlyneeded “, by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

1. Gene therapy for deafness: undoubtedly one of the biggest news stories of the year, as doctors at Fudan University in Shanghai have conducted a successful trial in children aged one to eleven years old in both ears in children aged one to eleven years in both ears suffering from a condition called DFNB9, caused by mutations in the Olof gene, responsible for 2-8% of all cases of congenital hearing loss.

Within weeks of receiving therapy, the children ‘ s hearing had improved, they could locate sound sources and recognise speech in noisy environments. Read more at National Geographic.

1. Malaria vaccine. Despite progress, there are many obstacles to malaria control. According to the World HealthOrganization, it is estimated that in 2022, there will be 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths from the million cases and 608 000 deaths from the disease in 2022. The African Region continues to bear the greatest burden: 94% of cases and 95% of deaths worldwide. Children are especially vulnerable: nearly half a million African children die of malaria every year.

In this context, scientists around the world continue to search for a treatment to prevent the disease. And they have succeeded: the R21/Matrix-M vaccine has demonstrated high efficacy and a good safety profile in African children, representing a crucial breakthrough in the fight against the disease. It is still in trial, but with great success, according to the study published in The Lancet.

1. Blood test for Alzheimer’s disease. The increase in life expectancy of the population, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle habits, are leading to an increasing number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease, a disease which, if detected early, could be treated to alleviate its effects in the medium to long term, could be treated to alleviate its effects in the medium to long term.

In this respect, it has been found that a simple test can detect Alzheimer’ s disease with high accuracy, facilitating earlier and less invasive diagnosis. In the trials conducted, the tests were about 90% accurate in identifying disease symptoms in patients with cognitive symptoms seen in primary care and specialised memory care clinics. in patients with cognitive symptoms seen in primary care and memory care clinics, according to Alzheimer’s Association International. Undoubtedly, a more than hopeful horizon.

1. Microbots for liver cancer treatment. Years ago , the film industry ventured into a future in which technology would be the human being’s ally in carrying out complex and almost impossible treatments or interventions. would be the ally of the human being to carry out complex and almost impossible treatments or interventions. Well, the passage of time is proving the visionary film buffs right, because micro-robots have been created that can navigate inside the human body to deliver the human body to deliver treatments directly to liver tumours, improving the precision and efficacy of cancer therapies.

Canadian researchers led by Montreal radiologist Gilles Soulez have developed a novel approach to treat Soulez have developed a novel approach to treating liver tumours using liver tumours using magnet-guided microrobots in an MRI device. in a magnetic resonance imaging device. Published in ‘Science Robotics ‘, this approach could change the paradigm of interventional radiology used to treat liver cancer used to treat liver cancer, while opening up new avenues of research for the treatment of other similar pathologies. Of course, a technology that implies a before and after in minimally invasive in minimally invasive precision personalised medicine.

1. Approval of a new drug for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Also known as fatty liver disease, poses a threat to the quality of life of those affected and a challenge to medicine. After several months of clinical trials, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug to treat NASH, which affects millions of people worldwide.

This drug offers new hope for patients who previously had limited treatment options . previously had limited treatment options.

1. Advances in gene editing for inherited diseases: a landmark approval of drugs to treat a single disease may be the precursor to a new era of drugs targeting multiple diseases at the genetic level. of a new era of medicines targeting multiple diseases at the genetic level.

In December 2023 , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) approved the first infusion therapy of its kind for the treatment of HIV. (FDA) approved the first infusion therapy of its kind for the treatment of sickle cell for the treatment of sickle cell disease using CRISPR, a much talked-about gene-editing technology. CRISPR allows researchers to target a disease by altering the patient’ s genetic material.

Scientists often describe CRISPR as a pair of molecular”scissors”, because the tool can create a precise break in DNA strands, the genetic code that is passed down from parent to child, to alter a gene in a beneficial way. These therapies could help patients with leukaemia, multiple myeloma, cholesterol problems, hereditary angioedema, transthyretin amyloidosis or HIV or AIDS itself, to name but a few, hereditaryangioedema, transthyretin amyloidosis or HIV or AIDS itself, to name but a few. Therapy that also generates a certain ethical debate , but which also opens up a more than hopeful horizon for the treatment of some treatment of some diseases for which there might be no solution.

1. Implementation of artificial intelligence in medical diagnostics. It may seem like a fad, because artificial intelligence is being talked about in all sectors sectors and multiple applications are being found. But more than a fad, it is a reality, also in health. And although it is still in its infancy, it is being used to diagnose diseases, improving accuracy and speed in the detection of pathologies such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, among others. According to Forbes, these tools are transforming medical practice, enabling more accurate and personalised diagnoses.
2. Development of exoskeletons for mobility. Another great revolution and example of technology at the service of health. We read in La Vanguardia the great news about the creation of advanced exoskeletons that allow people with reduced mobility to walk again, improving their quality of life and facilitating rehabilitation processes. These devices are revolutionising physical therapy and assistance for people with motor disabilities.
3. Advances in neuroprosthetics. Neuroprostheses have enabled the recovery of lost senses, such as sight or hearing, through direct stimulation of the nervous system. These devices offer new hope for people with sensory disabilities, opening up possibilities for the restoration of lost functions. Not only that, but cochlear implants have opened the way to a wide range of neuroimplants that help restore vision, treat Parkinson’s disease or mitigate some mental disorders.

These milestones represent the ongoing effort to improve health and quality of life around the world. From innovative therapies to advanced diagnostic technologies, 2024 has proven to be a transformational year in healthcare. And 2025 is even more promising. We will tell you about it in this blog.