May 15 2008 / by juldrich
Category: Business & Work Year: General Rating: 9 Hot
By Jack Uldrich
Cross-posted from www.jumpthecurve 
To paraphrase Henry David Thoreau, it seems that for every 1000
people working to treat disease there is but one person working to
prevent that disease from occuring in the first place. This, of
course, is a slight exaggeration but it is safe to say that the
preponderance of today’s health care expenditures are directed
toward treatment, not preventation.
This is a costly way of doing business. Luckily, a fair number
of scientists, researchers and savvy businesspeople are working
hard to reverse this trend. The other day, Technology Review had an
excellent article entitled “Next Generation Diagnostics” in
which it highlighted a new start-up called Quanterix.
Apparently, the company’s technology is so sophisicated that it can
detect a single molecule. This feat is important because often
tumors will release small trace amounts of a signature protein
prior to turning into larger, more problematic tumors. Much the
same is true with heart attacks. Often proteins indicative of a
heart attack will be released prior to the attack actually
occuring. The thinking goes that if these trace amounts can be
detected early, the diseases can be prevented. (cont.)
If Quanterix’ technology doesn’t work then perhaps the new
nano-bio chip being developed by researchers
at the University of Texas or the medical diagnostic test being
developed at the University of Colorado will. Both technologies are
somewhat similar to Quanterix’, but instead to testing for proteins
in blood, Texas’s technology quickly scans a patient’s saliva
whereas Colorado’s scans a person’s breath.
Any way you slice it, though, the future of health is growing
increasing clear: preventing diseases from ever occuring in the
first place is taking precedence over treatment – and this is as it
should be.
Interested in other health care-related posts? Check out
these recent articles:
Health Care
Providers Need a Second Life
The Future of
Health Care: Part 3 (Robotics)
The Robot Will See You
Now
Hospitals Robotic Future:
Part 2
Hospitals Robotic Future:
Part 1
Hospitals Get a Lift
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