One of the most notable vaccination pioneers of the 20th century was Merck scientist Dr. Maurice Hillman (1919-2005), who developed more than 40 human and animal vaccines.
Source: Merck
New data for ~80k patients shown at ID Week 2018 concludes that continuation of antibiotics >24 hours post-surgery did not decrease rates of SSIs but did increase rate of AKI and CDiff. Will the data drive innovation of standard of care?
Source: C Diff Foundation
Sled dogs came to the rescue for a January 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Alaska, when no other transportation was possible. The dog sled team carried 300,000 units of antitoxin 674 miles over 5 days in whiteout conditions and temperatures 50 degrees below zero.
Source: Merck
Cue Insights measures relationships with Merck’s largest strategic partnerships in the Customer Centricity program. Introducing an innovative Strategic Partner Index, Cue renovated legacy performance measures to align more closely with strategic partner goals and Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) best practices.
Source: Cue Insights
Only 27% of veterinarians under age 45 say they would recommend their profession. Financial, physical and emotional stress are prime detractors. Merck Animal Health introduced an innovative financial award to encourage students who demonstrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and forward thinking in developments to inspire the veterinary profession.
Source: Merck Animal Health
Cancer research focus has shifted from cancer cells and treating cancer as a genetic disease to the microenvironment in which cancer grows. Over 900 immuno-oncology clinical trials are currently being conducted because of this scientific innovation.
Source: Merck
Some autopsy studies show that as many as 80 percent of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease also have cardiovascular disease. For the first time, a large, randomized clinical trial has demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk for developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia through the treatment innovation of managing of high blood pressure with the risk reduction goal.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
A new innovative practice called “scalp cooling” reduces scalp temperature immediately before, during and after chemotherapy. This has been shown to be highly effective in preserving hair in women receiving chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
A recent study has shown that far-ultraviolet C (Far-UVC) light can kill flu viruses. This innovative technology could drastically reduce the spread of flu infections in public areas like hospitals, schools, and airports.
Source: Scientific Reports
Looking through a broad lens, pre-surgical practices have reduced blood clots, nausea, infection, atrophy and hospital stay. Eating before surgery, use of local analgesics in lieu of opioids, and controlled post-surgical walking are innovations to improve the patient journey.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
A new Bluetooth-enabled smart inhaler detects inhaler use, reminds patients to use their medication, encourages proper use of the device, and gathers data about a patient’s inhaler use that can help guide care. A 12-month clinical trial found that users of the device used less reliever medication, had more reliever-free days, and improved overall asthma control.
Source: Propeller Health
A developing alternative to injection by needle is a jet injection that delivers drugs via a high-pressure ultra-narrow jet of liquid that penetrates the skin, letting the medication be absorbed into the body. The stream of medicine is as thin as a strand of hair and causes little to no pain.
Source: Device Plus
Before the stethoscope, doctors listened to heartbeats by simply placing their ear on patients’ chests. French doctor Rene Laennec was uncomfortable performing this procedure on his female patients and thus invented the first stethoscope in 1816, a wooden tube that could amplify heart sounds without requiring physical contact.
Source: Wikipedia
Cardiac catheterization was invented by Dr. Werner Forssmann in 1929 — when he performed it on himself!
Source: Live Science
65 percent of U.S. hospitals connect with patients and consulting practitioners at a distance through the use of video and other technology.
Source: American Hospital Association
Merck scientist John Howe has been studying RNA as a means to block cell growth in bacteria. This could open many doors in skirting bacterial resistance to standard antibiotics.
Source: Merck
Merck scientist Paul Reichert has combined his knowledge of space and medicine for surprising innovations. He found that proteins grow bigger and purer in space, making them much easier to study. He’s using this knowledge to improve storing and delivering otherwise structurally fragile medicines.
Source: Merck
In August 2018, Merck co-launched Map4health, a digital platform and mobile app designed to help facilitate and enhance communications between diabetes patients and educators. The platform is one of the results of Merck’s ongoing 11-year collaboration with Healthy Interactions, a global leader in health education.
Source: Merck
In a recent survey sponsored by Premier (a strategic partner to Merck), 24% of health system leaders say payment models that reward value are the strongest motivation to consolidate and integrate across the continuum of care. Consumerism is the primary motivation for 16%.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review
Research is being done on a new technology that helps heart failure patients monitor their health by simply wearing a vest. The vest uses radar technology to detect fluid buildup in the lungs well before the patient can feel the symptoms, when it otherwise might be too late.
Source: Ohio State University
