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It's no secret that this year has not been the best for anybody. From murder hornets to documentaries about excentric tiger owners to dangerous pandemics, 2020 has been a whirlwind of events. Both medically and generally 2020 has shaken things up. However, that hasn’t stopped the brilliant minds of healthcare from providing us with exceptional breakthroughs that have advanced our medical comprehension. Today we will discuss some of those breakthroughs and how they are aiding the world around us.
Birth Control
For the first time in almost two decades, a new form of birth control has been introduced into the market. Phexxi is a non-hormonal prescription gel that lowers the pH of the vaginal environment in order to make it more acidic and harmful to sperm cells. As of now, the gel is only 86% effective in deterring pregnancy but it is definitely a step in the right direction considering that this is the first time in almost two decades that any attempts have been made to make improvements to female birth control. This also opens doors for women who cannot take other forms of birth control because of their hormone-altering components.
Medical Scopes
Medical scopes are an important medical tool used to analyze the body from the inside in a non-invasive way. These scopes are utilized in colonoscopies, endoscopies, and so much more. However, the problem of sterilization between patients and procedures has always presented itself. Cleaning and sterilizing these medical scopes is still very difficult, and if it was not done properly it could result in an infection and maybe even sepsis for the next user. Thankfully the first fully disposable medical scope has been designed and approved by the FDA for use. This ensures security for the patient and reduces staff hassle by eliminating the sterilization time.
Alzheimer’s
Although there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, it has been known for years that early detection has great potential to slow down the disease and can lead to better more accurate treatment. The only problem is that identifying alzhemiers early was difficult. A new blood test has been developed that targets proteins that indicate early Alzheimers and if further studies reveal its accuracy could lead to a faster and more precise diagnosis which would in turn help provide treatment to those who need it.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Perhaps the most anticipated medical breakthrough of the year has been the vaccine. The vaccine, which has been in the works for almost a year now had just begun to roll out to the general public. The vaccine works by releasing mRNA into the cell to alter the DNA induction that makes proteins. These proteins help us defend against the virus in an effective way. Unlike other vaccines, this one does not contain the deactivated virus. The vaccine which is administered in two doses is first being distributed to healthcare workers, people above the age of 65, and people with preexisting health conditions. Members of the general population will be second to receive the vaccine.
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