Medica_Montag

What’s the difference between Aquasonic® 100 and those other gels? Clarity, reliability, and economy. Aquasonic 100 Ultrasound Transmission Gel The clarity that sonographers have counted on for over fifty years. ISO 13485:2003 © 2015 Parker Laboratories, Inc. Visit us at Hall 9 Stand D41 WhatsTheDifferenceAd-A100_MEDICA_2015_102615.qxp_What's The Difference - MEDICA 2015 10/27/15 11:44 AM Page 1 Medicine 4.0 - The term obviously alludes to ‘Industry 4.0’, through which we could follow the develop- ment from pre-industrial times via the introduction of the steam engine and electricity to full automation and computer technology. There have been similar developments in the world of medicine. Beginning with natural medicine, big advances arrived with the discovery of antibiotics and the introduction of X-ray technology. Tuberculosis was almost eradicated thanks to X-ray technology, and the rate of complications during surgery was considerably reduced through the use of antibiotics. A further impor- tant step forward was made because of nuclear magnetic resonance and semi-conductor technology. That era of Medicine 3.0 is character- ised by improved X-ray and imaging procedures, as well as use of implant- able pacemakers. Now we are on the cusp of a new era. Smart systems and personalisa- tion will open up new opportunities for treatment with Medicine 4.0. In which fields might those be? One important area is oncology. A project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, for instance, has developed an implant system for the selective monitoring of dissolved oxygen. In many solid tumours, lack of oxygen correlates with abnormal metabolic profiles and sensitivity to therapeu- tic radiation. A sensor placed in the immediate proximity of a tumour can register increasing hypoxia and there- fore deliver important information on tumour activity, which can guide individualised and optimally dosed treatment. It is even conceivable for medication to be administered direct- ly to the tumour from a tank located within the implant. Personalised treatment appears par- ticularly promising when it comes to the choice and dose of chemothera- peutics. As the metabolic condition of cells and tissues not only depends on genes but also on environmental conditions it is highly encouraging to characterise metabolic products and cell signals. We have developed electronic sen- sors that can monitor the metabolic state of cells directly and without auxiliary reagents. The reaction of cells to medication can be followed through changes of the oxygen con- centration or the pH of the tissue. We have developed a fully automated analysis platform that can produce a larger series of measurements in a short period of time. This is currently undergoing clinical trials. Are there other areas? A capsule containing a micro-camera has already been licensed for practi- cal use – a development achieved by another research group. Patients can simply swallow this and do not have to undergo an endoscopy. Many other products are currently still at the experimental stage and demon- strate the principal possibility of min- iaturisation, which basically we have received as a gift thanks to advanced developments in the semiconductor industry. In view of demographic develop- ments the care of dementia patients has developed into another impor- tant topic. Intelligent drug delivery systems could supply these patients with their respective medication. American research teams are even working on an implantable system that is for use to treat allergies. Our American colleagues are assuming that allergies are ultimately caused by electric malfunctions in the tissue structure. The treatment is not car- ried out with medication but through electrical signals. How do people accept these tech- nological developments? Surveys show that the general public is usually a little sceptical towards technology in medicine. However, when it comes to the concrete appli- cation of technology for a specific medical problem the majority are actually in favour of technological innovations. The clinical tests for a complex telemedicine system that monitors blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, showed that almost all patients accepted the system. It consists of a mobile telephone and sensors, which can measure blood pressure, breathing or blood glucose. The sensors transmit the data to the mobile telephone, which in turn is connected to a database. The patient can receive suggestions for treatment directly from the database, and the system also offers the opportunity to collate the data, so that doctors can keep a closer eye on high-risk patients. I am convinced that these new tech- nological opportunities will revolution- ise the healthcare system. In the world of technology the term Industry 4.0 is already well known. Dr Bernhard Wolf, Professor of Medical Electronics at the Technical University of Munich, has revealed a comparable development in medicine, and is convinced that smart systems and personalisation have enormous potential Medicine 4.0 S P E C I A L I S S U E : M E D I C A L , T E C H N I C A L , P H A R M A C E U T I C A L , I N D U S T R I A L N E W S DUSSELDORF • MONDAY • 16 NOVEMBER 2015 @ MEDICA 16NOVEMBER 2015 Bernhard Wolf is Professor of Medical Electronics at the Technical University of Munich New technological opportunities will revolutionise healthcare MAKE A NOTE: MEDICA Health IT Forum Medicine 4.0 – The medical electronics towards ingestible sensor and smart pills Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Bernhard Wolf, TU München Monday, 16th November, • 12:00 – 12.50 p.m. 1 Nanopills equipped with ‘smart’ chips can be swallowed by tumour patients, for example; they then release active substances at therapy-relevant locations under pre-defined conditions WWW.HEALTHCARE-IN-EUROPE.COM WhatsTheDifferenceAd-A100_MEDICA_2015_102615.qxp_What's The Difference - MEDICA 201510/27/1511:44 AM Page 1

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