What are some of the top trends in the health care realm in 2017? Imagine immunotherapy that helps kids beat cancer without chemo, or stents that harmlessly dissolve when their work is done. These are some of the innovations Cleveland Clinic says will enhance healing and change healthcare in the coming year:
Topping the 11th annual list is the harnessing of the microbiome, the gut bacteria swarming in all of us. Recent discoveries have revealed the power of microbes to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. The healthcare industry will soon be pouring resources into addressing the potential for new therapies, diagnostics, probiotics and other products.
Another powerful innovation is cellular immunotherapy, where cells are removed and reprogrammed to fight cancer. The re-engineering illustrates one of the emerging characteristics of medical innovation, according to Dr. Michael Roizen, the Chief Wellness Officer at Cleveland Clinic.
“The combinations that lead to innovation are much more unusual,” he said. “We used to develop a drug to treat a disease. Now, we’re combining devices, drugs and imagination. We’re altering patients’ T cells so that they will attack their cancer cells.”