There have been a number of great medical breakthroughs in 2016, and there are many expected before the end of the year. The most important breakthroughs are the ones that are going to benefit a large portion of the world population in treatment and prevention.
Here are four outstanding medical breakthroughs of 2016.
Cancer Vaccines
Immunotherapy cancer vaccines are being developed to teach the immune system to attack cancer cells with its antiviral response system. As proper accessories for overhead stirrers in laboratories and other developments have improved over time, vaccines for melanoma and prostate cancer have been approved by the FDA. However, a new lung cancer vaccine is expected in 2016. This is an important development in fighting cancer and ultimately preventing it. Cancer afflicts everyone, and it can strike without warning.
Precision Medicine Initiative
This project is set to launch before the end of 2016, and the final touches for data acquisition are being put into place. Over a million volunteers are going to be sharing molecular and genomic information to help design a new way for everyone to receive treatment. This will put an end to the blanket approach of treating sickness, and it will usher in personalized medical care for all individuals. It will drastically maximize the effectiveness of treatment. This is an important breakthrough considering everyone responds to certain treatments and drugs differently.
Public Health Vaccines
In 2014 and 2015, the Ebola outbreak scared the general public, and an effort to protect everyone went into overdrive. The Cleveland Clinic developed the Ebola vaccine within six months, and it became the top achievement for the clinic in 2016. Along with the development of the vaccine, a system was developed to vaccinate people quite quickly. It took decades in the past to develop a new vaccine and distribute it effectively. Now, the public has access to accelerated safety measures against a deadly disease. In April of 2016, trials for the vaccine began in Sierra Leone. This a major step in protecting the world from a highly contagious and fatal disease.
Drastically Improved Cancer Screening
It is now possible to detect the deadliest types of cancer by analyzing blood tests. Until 2016, blood tests were inadequate for finding the abnormal protein structures produced by cancer, but a new test using protein analysis is undergoing trials, and it is efficient in identifying prostate and ovarian cancers in early stages. Researchers are also confident it will be able to detect pancreatic cancer in early stages. Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest type of cancer, and only 7 percent of patients live longer than five years after being diagnosed.
These four developments are expected to advance the field of medicine and the longevity of the human race. New breakthroughs in prevention and treatment are going help improve the overall health of the world. Based on these achievements, the field of medicine and the general public both have a bright, healthier future.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.
