Advancing the Life Sciences: Imaging, Devices, Reproductive Health
The life sciences are ripe for expansion and innovation, although each area for advancement also presents various obstacles that healthcare professionals may have to overcome.
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- The life sciences industry includes many fields that are primed for advancements, including reproductive health, medical devices, and medical imaging.
Alivia Kaylor, senior editor of LifeSciencesIntelligence, brought to light some of the challenges and areas for growth in each of these categories on Healthcare Strategies.
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Reproductive health encompasses areas from preventing pregnancy to enhancing geriatric pregnancies through in-vitro fertilization. In both areas, the science shows room for development, Kaylor explained.
With in-vitro fertilization, the main problem to tackle is the expense. A single cycle of in-vitro fertilization can cost $12,000 and is unlikely to receive health insurance coverage. Out-of-pocket healthcare spending is already higher for pregnant people, even without the added costs of in-vitro fertilization.
On the other end of the spectrum in pregnancy prevention, the challenge has less to do with finances and more to do with innovation. There are a dozen ways for women to prevent pregnancies, but only two ways that men can take preventive measures. However, ongoing developments in this field may change that dynamic.
In the medical devices realm, there is also room for expansion.
“Medical devices can be used to prevent, diagnose, treat illnesses in a safe and effective way. But what I find most interesting is wearable technology, which is becoming a major trend,” Kaylor said.
She noted that wearable medical devices like insulin patches are improving chronic disease management for patients with diabetes.
Meanwhile, in medical imaging, virtual reality and other tools are breaking the mold on typical imaging strategies.
But both medical imaging and medical devices face a common pitfall: supply chain disruptions, which became particularly noticeable across the healthcare industry during the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite the challenges that remain in some of these areas, Kaylor set a hopeful tone for the future of the life sciences.
“I'm honestly excited about all of the potential medical advancements that are in the FDA pipeline,” Kaylor shared.
