MedTech

South African firm to make Pfizer vaccine, first in Africa

A South African firm will begin producing the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, the first time that the shot will be produced in Africa, Pfizer announced Wednesday. The Biovac Institute based in Cape Town will manufacture the vaccine for distribution across Africa, a move that should help address the continent’s desperate need for more vaccine doses amid […]

New Merck pneumonia vaccine OK'd in US weeks after Pfizer's

U.S. regulators have approved a new pneumonia vaccine from Merck, more than a month after OK’ing an improved version of rival Pfizer’s shot. Both new shots offer better protection against bacteria that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and blood infections, as well as garden-variety ear and sinus infections. Merck said Friday that the Food and Drug […]

Government urged to invest in digitization of mental health services

The Mental Health Tech Landscape Review, released gby Future Care Capital (FCC), not only recommends a range of measures to enable higher quality care through the use of technology, but it also shows that there is potential for the development of a wider range of different types of technology solution. This is demonstrated by the […]

Device taps brain waves to help paralyzed man communicate

In a medical first, researchers harnessed the brain waves of a paralyzed man unable to speak — and turned what he intended to say into sentences on a computer screen. It will take years of additional research but the study, reported Wednesday, marks an important step toward one day restoring more natural communication for people […]

mRNA vaccine aim to target flu strains & COVID-19

Moderna has begun human trials for an mRNA vaccine called mRNA-1010, that targets multiple influenza strains, the company announced Wednesday.  The American pharmaceutical and biotechnology firm based in Cambridge, aims on the long run for one seasonal shot for flu, COVID-19, respiratory viruses RSV, and HMPV.  The flu shot is designed to target four strains of influenza viruses that circulate seasonally each year, just like the current quadrivalent flu vaccines on the market.   The four virus […]

SpectraLIT to detect COVID-19 within 20 seconds

A device, called SpectraLIT, uses mass spectrometry to generate high resolution spectral signatures of a sample’s contents. These signatures are interpreted using artificial intelligence as either positive or negative for SAR-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Samples can be collected using either a nasopharyngeal swab or non-invasive mouthwash solution. SpectraLIT, a pathogens diagnostic device able […]

Apple publishes list of products that can affect pacemakers

People who have a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator should be aware that the magnets used in common tech gadgets may potentially interfere with their medical devices. Accordingly, Apple published a list of its products that might risk tampering with medical devices such as pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. The Big Tech company advised its […]

Wearable non-invasive blood glucose sensor to be placed instead of needle

With more than 463 million people worldwide believed to have diabetes, the Afon Technology blood glucose sensor is designed to be compatible with your chosen smart watch, phone or tablet. This sensor was revealed through new images that have been released featuring the world’s first wearable, non-invasive, real-time continuous blood glucose sensor. Afon Technology’s CEO […]

WHO decision challenges West to recognize Chinese vaccines

The World Health Organization said Thursday that any COVID-19 vaccines it has authorized for emergency use should be recognized by countries as they open up their borders to inoculated travelers. The move could challenge Western countries to broaden their acceptance of two apparently less effective Chinese vaccines, which the U.N. health agency has licensed but […]

MIT, Harvard develop smart face mask to detect COVID-19

Scientists at MIT and Harvard University have created a smart face mask that can detect COVID-19 results of the person wearing it within about 90 minutes. The masks are implanted with tiny, non-reusable sensors that can be attached into other face masks and could also be altered to detect other viruses. The sensors are based […]