The battle against infectious diseases has sparked the need for invention in recent years, leading to the introduction of new technologies, new procedures, and new drugs. As the war facing basic disease and antimicrobial resistance continues to expand across borders, public health agencies along with private industries in the U.S. and Europe are putting increasing amounts of money into new weapons within the development to fight back (Top Health Industry, 2016). Other implications included in the aim to combat infectious disease are partnering with public agencies to overcome market barriers, by using mobile technology to locate and diagnose patients, and to educate medical staff about fighting disease in a global context (Top Health Industry, 2016). Although steps have been taken to move forward with new inventions as a result of infectious diseases, there are still additional opportunities for the U.S. to advance emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) preparedness and response (The U.S. Government, 2014). As new viruses will continue to emerge, inventions must stay up to date in order to positively impact the health of the population.
A recent report has stated that Donald J. Trump’s election as president has enforced his vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act of 2010, leading to millions of dollars being marked for drug and device industry projects aimed at combating the spread of infectious diseases. “At the same time, industry and regulators are working together to develop rapid diagnostics aimed at infectious diseases,” the report states (Mira, 2016). The war facing basic disease and antimicrobial resistance continues to expand across borders, and public health agencies along with private industries in the U.S. and Europe are putting increasing amounts of money into new weapons within the development to fight back (Top Health Industry, 2016). At the same rate, industry and regulators are working beside one another to create rapid diagnostics that are focused on infectious disease that have come to be one of the main focuses in healthcare today (Top Health Industry, 2016).
According to new research, infectious diseases have caused more than 5% of deaths in the U.S. Introductions of new viruses and diseases into the population at different time points has brought an evolution in the types of infection and, in return, inventions’ that are affecting the health of the population (Senthilingam, 2016). The industry is addressing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which infect two million Americans a year, and kill 23,000 (Top Health Industry, 2016). The combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator Collaboration announced in June, that they plan to spend $500 million to research and develop antibiotic drugs (Top Health Industry, 2016). In September of 2016, thirteen global biopharmaceutical companies signed an “industry roadmap,” proposing market entry reward, among other ideas to promote the development of diagnostics, antibiotics, and vaccines to fight antimicrobial resistance (Top Health Industry, 2016). The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) determined that in the next 35 years, antimicrobial resistance could kill nearly 300,00,000 people around the world if left unchecked, stunting the global economic output by $100 million (Olsterholm & Olshaker, 2017). Currently, besides pandemic influenza there are no other diseases that could currently make that claim. In fact, if the current trend is not rehabilitated, antimicrobial resistance could become the world’s single greatest killer known to date (Olsterholm & Olshaker, 2017).
Any surgery can become inherently dangerous without the use of effective and nontoxic antibiotics to control infection. In a report conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), hospital acquired infections (HAIs) also have approximately caused 99,000 deaths per year in the United States alone (Clancy, 2015). With groundbreaking technology and inventions in place, it is still recommended by the CDC that medical centers take added precautions to reduce exposure to communicable diseases for the public (Clancy, 2015). There are numerous changes that are needed to accelerate development of improved infectious disease diagnostics, and these methods must be integrated properly into healthcare practices. The microbiology field is going through huge changes with new technologies, and in some instances cutting cases down from days to minutes when diagnosing an infection (Rollins, 2014). The invention of these rapid tests, procedures, and results make use for a more precise and appropriate use of antibiotics, and overall better individualized patient management and public health surveillance (Rollins, 2014). However, the time it takes to arrive at the answers to crucial exposure could put patients at risk, and it could have financial burdens on the healthcare system.
Other implications included in the aim to combat infectious disease include partnering with public agencies to overcome market barriers, using mobile technology to locate and diagnose patients, and educating medical staff about fighting disease in a global context (Top Health Industry, 2016). Millions of dollars are being made accessible through public agencies to speed up the development of new diagnostics and treatments for infectious disease. HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and the European Innovative Medicines Initiative health agencies in the US and Europe, have collaborated closely to help pharmaceutical and device makers find more secure funding, and accelerated research and regulatory approval (Top Health Industry, 2016).
As new inventions spark as a result of infectious diseases across the world, it is important to note that innovative healthcare technology has become the leading factor in the fight against infectious disease. Since American’s are engaged and connected like never before, according to a Pew Center report, nearly 70% own a smartphone, and 45% have a tablet-like device. With this said, wearable sensor technology has also become more common, and these devices are beginning to have a significant impact on how healthcare is delivered in the U.S. today (Campbell, 2015). Mobile technology, such as smartphone ownership, is growing across the globe and can assist healthcare providers and drug and device makers reach populations globally at risk of contracting infectious diseases, while at the same time monitoring the spread. These mobile programs can collect data, and in return, share it to the public to inform officials about geographic areas and populations that are experiencing increasingly large outbreaks in disease symptoms (Top Health Industry, 2016).
New devices and tools are able to incorporate the technology and power of the smartphone to become an extension of a patient’s health care provider, and could ultimately change the way individual’s access and maintain their health and view the medical system (Campbell, 2015). Public health officials will now be able to better monitor and screen for diseases with these devices, and in large, populations will be able to focus on preventative strategies and millions of Americans will now have access to care due to these inventions (Campbell, 2015). Pharmaceutical and device manufacturers also are going to begin partnering with agencies to develop and market innovations, and smartphones will support the distribution of data to public health agencies about outbreaks and disease patterns in geographic areas (Mira, 2016).
It is important to note that in underserved and under-supplied communities, individuals will have the potential to access better care and better tools to manage their disease at a more affordable cost. New technologies and inventions that assist in patient access to antibiotics and technological support are going to help increase the time spent with patients, as administrative demands placed on doctors and other health care providers has become increasingly limited (Campbell, 2015). It is important that new devices are incorporated into smartphones, tablets and other connected technologies as they will be a critical part of improving outcomes, specifically in disease prevention and control, in the future. Today, patients are more internet savvy than ever before, and nearly 75% of all patients turn directly to the Internet for more information after attending their physician visit (Campbell, 20015). When patients are informed, they are better able to manage their disease or illness and learn more about what they can do to better care for themselves. With this said, mobile technologies and new inventions have the capability to spark a transformation in health care in the future, and as health care consumers it is our job to embrace these technologies in order to properly apply them as efficiently as possible to promote better health for patients (Campbell, 2015).
Other innovations within the healthcare system include virtual medical consultations with doctors, as well as tracking devises. Virtual medical consultations will allow patients to choose to use mobile apps or web connections to participate in a live 10-minute video consultation with one of 1,000 physicians (Clancy, 2015). During this web conference, which serves the purpose of replacing traditional doctors’ visits, doctors can review patient history, answer questions, treat illness, and even provide medication. This can lead to higher patient satisfaction, less patient in-office wait times, and more of a willingness for patients to follow up on appointments and get the care they need, and in return reducing the risk of increased spreading of infections (Clancy, 2015). Tracking devices were invented in the form of a disposable bracelet that is usually issued by hospitals during an appointment. These bracelets are fitted with a tracking tag that is so light and small that it is hardly noticeable by others. This allows all patients and staff to be immediately located for a period of 30 days, with a single-use (Clancy, 2015). With the bracelet, patients are prevented from moving outside of safe areas, and they are limited to potentially spreading infections to the general public (Clancy, 2015).
Governments, multilateral institutions, and other stakeholders have also worked to build and uphold a set of interconnected systems for outbreak, prevention, preparedness, detection and response, as new infectious diseases are capable of emerging anywhere, at any given time (The U.S. Government, 2014). With the complex web of global efforts, there are many aspects that come hand-in-hand with new inventions that have sparked from infectious diseases. This “web” consists of activities ranging from drug and vaccine research and development, disease surveillance, infectious disease research and training, public education, behavior change and disease prevention campaigns, and preparedness and response planning and execution (The U.S Government, 2014).
In fact, according to the International Health Regulation (IHR), which is a legally binding international agreement among members with the World Health Organization (WHO), “it is required that for countries to develop a minimum level of capacity to “detect, assess, notify and report,” potential outbreaks and other public health emergencies” (The U.S Government, 2014). WHO is responsible for often playing a central role during disease outbreaks, serving as the heart for communication and an organizer of the international response. This organization, along with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the WTO, trade practices that can help address and prevent future outbreaks (The U.S. Government, 2014). If these methods are used and applied properly, both hospital leaders and the general public will be able to immediately isolate affected individuals and take immediate action to keep the public as safe as possible.
As resistant bacteria have rapidly emerged in the world, they have endangered the efficacy of antibiotics, which have transformed medicine and saved millions of lives. Many decades following the first patients, whom were treated with antibiotics bacterial infections, have more recently become a threat again (Lee, 2015). The antibiotic resistance crisis has been attributed to the misuse and overuses of medications, along with a lack of new drug development by the pharmaceutical industry due to economic incentives and challenging regulatory requirements being reduced (Lee, 2015). When educating medical staff about fighting diseases in a global context, it is important to point out over-the-counter and agricultural practices availability in markets globally. This can lead to new disease outbreaks and antibiotic resistance, causing future problems in the industries (Top Health Industry, 2016). Companies that sell drugs and devices which are targeted at infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance should serve as educational resources for healthcare workers that strongly assist in preventing the spread of new pathogens, and later the development of antibiotic resistance (Top Health Industry, 2016).
A number of bacteria as presenting urgent, serious, and concerning threats, have been classified by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and many of which are already responsible for putting both a financial and clinical burden on the U.S. healthcare system, patients, and their families (Lee, 2015). New policies and renewed research initiatives have begun coordination to pursue the steps to manage the crises. Therefore, the rapidly emerging resistant bacterium threatens the health benefits that have been substantially achieved with antibiotics. Because this crisis is global, it reflects the worldwide overuse of such drugs and the lack of development of new antibiotic agents by pharmaceutical companies to address the challenge (Lee, 2015). Recently, there have been efforts to change the crises and to ensure progress is made in this area, as well as the introduction of new agents to treat bacterial infections (Lee, 2015).
Significant challenges remain when addressing emergency infectious diseases (EIDs), although technological and scientific advances have improved outbreak detection. These challenges include a lack of basic public health surveillance and response capabilities in many regions, which therefore can delay and compromise the effectiveness of EID (The U.S. Government, 2014). Also, manufacturing capacity limitations, political trade, and intellectual barriers, which can hinder timely research and sharing of information, development and distribution of diagnostics, vaccines, drugs, and other response tools for newly emerging diseases (The U.S. Government, 2014).
In response, the U.S government has taken a number of steps since as far back as 1990 to address the threat posed by EIDs. Some key U.S. policy milestones include the presidential directive on emerging diseases that called for greater interagency support for global and national aid efforts, and a new U.S. national strategy on health security and countering biological threats in 2009 (The U.S Government, 2014). Most recently however, the USG announced a new “global health security agenda,” which is an effort to accelerate progress toward a world “safe and secure from infectious disease threats, and undertaken in partnership with public and private sector holders and other governments multilateral institutions” (The U.S Government, 2014).
Looking ahead, U.S. engagement in efforts to reduce the threat and potential impacts of EIDs will be crucial for global health, and to protect the safety and well-being of Americans at home and overseas. However, even though there have been steps forward with new inventions as a result of infectious diseases, there are still additional opportunities for the U.S. to advance EID preparedness and response (The U.S Government, 2014). New viruses will continue to emerge, and inventions must stay up to date and keep affecting the health of the population in a positive light.