The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Where would we be today without the United Statesβ determination in innovating and investing in science? In the last 50 years, we have seen the development of DNA testing, smart devices, the internet, effective cancer therapies, and improved medical devices. And in light of the coronavirus pandemic, it is now more critical than ever that we invest and trust in the innovation that has made our country a global leader in health-care innovation.
We are making huge strides in cancer care. In the last 18 months, the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved 13 cancer therapies in 2019 and six so far in 2020. A report by the American Cancer Society highlights how female breast cancer was at its peak in 1989 and declined by 40% by 2016. Thanks to the evolution of early detection, women who continue getting mammograms to have an increased life expectancy of 10 years or more. As technology continues to improve, we have seen the development of gene therapies, like CAR T-cell Therapy, that can treat patients with blood cancers. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society reports that clinical trial data for CAR T-cell Therapy have demonstrated encouraging results with response rates ranging between 70 to 90%.
Over the years, we have seen ailments that were once death sentences become treatable conditions. HIV-positive individuals taking antiretroviral therapy have a life expectancy closer to normal. While researchers continue to work on a cure for HIV, they have developed PrEP, prophylactic treatment that, when taken as directed, reduces the chance of infection to almost zero (99% effective). During the 1990s, hepatitis C treatments on the market helped only 10% of patients. That percentage later went up to 50%, but patients had to endure 48 weeks of therapy. Thankfully by 2011, the FDA approved the first truly effective treatment for hepatitis C that can cure up to 90% of patients.
As seen with mammograms, innovation has played a role in saving lives beyond medicine. Other examples include a medical device for strokes, which is one of the deadliest neurological events that can occur, and where time is of the essence for survival. A medical device known as volumetric impedance phase-shift spectroscopy can detect a stroke in seconds with a 92% accuracy rate. Standard prehospital stroke assessments have accuracy rates ranging between 40% and 89%. Also, we have seen an increased use of fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), which tracks blood flow in the brain to monitor areas of activity. This is especially helpful for Alzheimerβs patients, people with a seizure disorder, and stroke victims.
It is hard to imagine what our lives would be today without the internet or our smartphones. Through wireless devices, doctors can access digital medical information and patient records in seconds regardless of their location. Thanks to telehealth services we also have the opportunity to meet with our doctors remotely. Data shows that telehealth services reduce hospitalization rates by 75% and emergency room visits by 83%.
Innovation has transformed health care. As a doctor, I suggest we continue to trust and invest in innovation that will get us through this pandemic. Who knows what we will accomplish during the 2020s when we listen to the experts.
