Devices & Materials
"The problem is not that Europe lacks ideas or ambition. We have many talented researchers and entrepreneurs filing patents. But innovation is blocked at the next stage: we fail to translate innovation into commercialization"
This category is dedicated to technologies, equipment, and advanced materials that serve as critical tools in the surveillance, treatment, and prevention of microbial threats. It encompasses a wide range of physical innovations, from sophisticated laboratory equipment that accelerates R&D to medical devices designed for patient monitoring and targeted drug delivery.
Medical devices and materials are crucial in both the prevention and management of infections, which directly impacts the challenge of AMR. Devices such as catheters & implants - can be sources of infection if not properly designed, maintained, or used. Materials used in healthcare settings, including surfaces, textiles, and packaging, also play a role in either harboring or preventing microbial growth.
Key Points:
Infection Control: Devices and materials are central to infection control strategies. Their design and use can reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, which are often caused by resistant organisms. Innovations in device coatings, antimicrobial surfaces, and improved sterilization methods help limit the spread of pathogens.
Materials Innovation: The development of new materials, such as antimicrobial textiles or surfaces, can help prevent the transmission of resistant bacteria in healthcare environments.
The materials aspect focuses on applied antimicrobial surfaces and coatings for items like medical instruments and high-touch objects, which is distinct from the permanent building materials in the Construction & Facilities category. Essentially, this category covers the hardware and material science innovations being developed to gain an edge in the fight against AMR.
The interplay between devices, materials, and AMR is multifaceted. Effective infection control relies on both the physical properties of materials and the technological capabilities of devices. Together, they form the backbone of strategies to prevent infections, monitor resistance, and ensure responsible antibiotic use. Their importance is underscored by the need to continually innovate and adapt to emerging resistance threats in healthcare settings.
News
View allFlushing a Toilet Can Blast Germs Up to Your Breathing Zone, Study Finds
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Yet while many studies have demonstrated the existence of such plumes, and examined their contents and behavior, the evidence so far is still fragmented and highly variable," the authors of the new review write. Related: Gross Toilet Flushes Really Could Spray Viral Particles in The Air, Study Finds While ventilation may help disperse aerosols, some findings suggest closing the toilet lid can obstruct their ascent in the first place. "Based on the available evidence, I would recommend closing the toilet lid before flushing, where a lid is available, as a precautionary measure to minimize potential inhalation exposure – while recognizing that it does not completely prevent aerosols from escaping," Adiyani says. This review helps shed light on toilet aerosols, but there's still plenty we don't know about how the plumes work and how to limit them, says environmental microbiologist Harriet Whiley, a professor at Flinders University and co-author of the review."Rekord för svensk life science - men vartannat bolag saknar anställda
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Den bredare statistiken ligger i stora drag i linje med den uppgång som tankesmedjan ECIPE beskriver i en ny rapport, beställd av branschorganisationen Lif. – Jag skulle säga att andra aktörer i det svenska innovationssystemet för läkemedel har fått större betydelse, men AstraZeneca är och förblir en mycket viktig aktör i systemet, skriver han. Tillväxten är fortfarande koncentrerad ECIPE lyfter också fram en sammanställning av 25 läkemedels- och bioteknikföretag som rapportförfattarna klassar som svenska små och medelstora företag utifrån huvudkontorets land. Läkemedelsvärldens summering av rapportens underlag visar att de 25 bolagen tillsammans hade 1 289 anställda 2023, att elva redovisades med noll i nettoomsättning i rapportförfattarnas kalkylblad, att de fem största stod för omkring 53 procent av gruppens FoU och tre företag för cirka 83 procent av omsättningen.Läkemedelsexporten rusar - forskningen följer inte samma kurva
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Antalet personer som arbetade med FoU inom läkemedelsindustrin ökade från 1 933 år 2017 till 3 105 år 2023, och antalet årsverken, alltså arbetstid motsvarande heltidsjobb, steg från 1 866 till 2 985. Men den räcker inte för att skapa den kunskap som behövs för att upptäcka nya läkemedel och driva preklinisk och klinisk utveckling. AstraZenecas andel av ökningen är okänd ECIPE bedömer att AstraZeneca står för en stor andel av FoU-ökningen efter 2019 men det går inte att kontrollera mot offentlig statistik. Läs också: Nytt lyft för svensk läkemedelsexport Tre mått på utvecklingen 2017–2023 Exportvolym: Index steg från 108 till 218, en ökning med 102 procent.
