New technology developed to treat vision impairment
A startup called Science Corp just got European approval to sell a brain-computer interface device called Prima that restores vision for people with age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
A small chip gets implanted behind the eye in an hour-long outpatient procedure, then patients wear camera glasses that beam a view of the world to the chip. Results so far sound remarkable, with patients finishing novels, drawing, and playing crosswords again. The company, founded by Neuralink's former president Max Hodak, also got fast-track status from the FDA that could eventually bring the device to two rare forms of blindness in the U.S.
The device is not cheap and expected to cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range, and reimbursement discussions are still ongoing. Germany may see its first procedure as soon as September.
Early drug trial may help pediatric food allergies
A new Stanford medicine trial found that about a third of children with multiple food allergies were able to safely eat full servings of foods that used to trigger them!
The key was a drug called omalizumab, which blocks the antibodies behind allergic reactions, either on its own or paired with oral immunotherapy, where kids eat tiny growing doses of the allergen over time.
Researchers say the big takeaway is choice. Some families want protection from accidental exposure, while others want their kid eating peanuts at a birthday party without fear, and now there's data to help tailor treatment to that goal.
New lyme disease tick-testing home kit releasing this month
Tick season is getting worse, with over 31 million Americans bitten every year and cases of lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses on the rise thanks to warmer winters and expanding tick ranges.
The good news is that speed matters, since diseases can transmit in as little as 36 to 48 hours, so quick removal and early treatment make a huge difference. A new at-home test called Lymealert is launching this month, letting you crush and test a removed tick for the lyme bacteria in about 15 minutes.
Experts caution it should be a supplement to seeing a doctor, not a replacement. Remember, check yourself after spending time outdoors and promptly remove any ticks you find.
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