News Digest 29.01.2024 — 31.01.2024
Regulators
Medical scientific organizations requested 14 billion rubles from the Ministry of Education and Science for three years
The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has published a list of scientific organizations that have submitted applications for grants from the federal budget to implement projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development. Of the 310 organizations participating in the selection, at least 49 are engaged in medical research. The total amount of funds they requested for 2024-2026 is about 14 billion rubles.
Market news
The SIS Hospital Rostov-On-Don clinic will be opened in 2026 for 5 billion rubles
The construction of the clinic was announced back in 2016. Then the founder and sole owner of the SIS Hospital company, Sergei Samsonenko, planned to invest more than 2 billion rubles in the project.
As stated by the general director of SIS Hospital Nikita Pendyurin (since the beginning of December 2023, this position has been occupied by Pavel Loschilov), the medical center provided for the provision of a full range of outpatient and inpatient services. The clinic was planned to have more than 200 beds, 10 operating rooms, 20 intensive care rooms, 4 radiological centers, 36 chemotherapy boxes, 2 maternity wards, as well as an emergency and pediatric care center. The hospital was expected to employ 1,200 positions, including up to 200 doctors, about 500 mid-level health workers and 200 support staff.
In December 2022, the project initiators announced an increase in investment to 5 billion rubles. Investors expected to receive a construction permit in 2023, and to begin construction of the facility in 2024.
The deputy head of the Kirov Military Medical Academy was suspected of fraud in the purchase of ventilators
The Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow arrested the deputy head of the Military Medical Academy (MMA) named after. CM. Kirov Pavel Veshkin. He is suspected of fraud on an especially large scale (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) in the purchase of ventilators and other medical equipment for the needs of the Ministry of Defense during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the moment, possible damage is estimated at 40 million rubles.
Opening of the Laboratory of Molecular Machines at ITMO University
The opening of a laboratory for the creation of molecular machines at ITMO University was a significant breakthrough in the development of treatment and diagnostic methods. The use of artificial intelligence and data science to generate molecular machines opens up new opportunities for medicine and biotechnology. These innovations make it possible to accelerate chemical reactions at the molecular level with high precision and provide tools for regulating cell metabolism and genetic editing.
Molecular machines, developed from natural prototypes, can be artificially created to perform specific functions, including DNA synthesis, energy production and support of muscle tissue. The goal of the laboratory is to develop a “Lego molecular machines” system, which is the assembly of individual functional modules into target molecular devices with predefined properties.
This project promises to improve approaches to treating and diagnosing diseases, providing more accurate and effective medical solutions. The creation of personalized medical instruments and the development of diagnostic systems for use directly in medical institutions will significantly improve the quality of medical care and speed up the recovery process for patients.
FDA recalls Philips MRI machine due to high risk of explosion
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the withdrawal from sale of 150 Panorama 1.0T HFO MRI scanners (model numbers: 781250 and 781350) from Philips. The recall was classified as a Class I recall, meaning the products could cause serious health problems or death.
According to the FDA, the magnet in a Philips MRI scanner may spontaneously lose superconductivity during operation or when the emergency stop button is pressed. This significantly increases the risk of the device exploding.
Thanks to the national project “Healthcare,” the Tomsk Regional Clinical Hospital has received 18 ventilators over the past five years.
The Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare constantly monitors the implementation of the National Healthcare Project. According to the territorial body of Roszdravnadzor for the Tomsk region, the Regional Clinical Hospital received 18 ventilators, including expert class ones, over the course of 5 years under the national project.
The devices are used by specialists from the intensive care unit of the Regional Vascular Center, where the most critically ill patients are delivered from the region. The use of this equipment has made it possible to improve high-tech care for patients with stroke and neurosurgical pathology who require prolonged artificial ventilation.
Other
Neuralink Elon Musk first implanted a chip in the human brain
Elon Musk's neurotechnology company Neuralink, specializing in the development of brain implants for neural interfaces, implanted a chip into the human brain for the first time on January 28. There is no data on whether the volunteer has any specialized diseases. Musk noted that the patient's recovery after surgery is going well.
As Elon Musk said, the first recipients of neurochips will be people who have “lost control of their limbs.” Previously, the company was looking for people with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
During the tests, patients are implanted with a neural interface, which is a microchip for controlling external devices with the power of thought - it is assumed that patients will be able to successfully control a mouse cursor or computer keyboard. The testing process may take about six years.
The fact that Neuralink could begin testing became known in 2019. Initially, in 2020, the implant was implanted into the brain of a pig, and in 2021, the neurochip was implanted into a monkey. During the study, the animal, using a neural interface, managed to play a video game using the power of thought.
The company requested approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct clinical trials (CT) in humans in early 2022. But the FDA refused, citing concerns about the safety of the device's lithium battery, as well as the possible migration of the implant's wires to other areas of the brain. Concerns have also been raised that the removal of the chip may damage the meninges.
In May 2023, the FDA changed its position and approved the CI, and in September of the same year, the neurotechnology company announced the first recruitment of people to implant an implant in the brain to control prosthetics.
Sales of blood pressure monitors in 2023 increased by 29%
In 2023, about 6.03 million tonometers of all types were sold on the Russian retail market (including the e-com segment) for a total of 11.87 billion rubles. (at retail prices, including VAT). Over the year, sales grew by 29% in volume terms, while the ruble dynamics were noticeably more modest - only at the level of 10%. As reported by the analytical company RNC Pharma, such a difference is associated with a rapid reduction in the average price tag for purchased devices. In 2023, relative to 2022 indicators, it decreased by almost 15%.
This is mainly due to experiments with assortments carried out by large representatives of the online channel selling unbranded products. If in 2022, no-names here accounted for only about 31% of the natural sales volume, then last year it grew to 56%. But the old proven dumping tool is also being used, analysts say.
Source: https://pharmvestnik.ru/content/news/Prodaji-tonometrov-v-2023-godu-vyrosli-na-29.html
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