Bionic limbs, a smart mouthguard to
monitor athletes for concussions, and genetically modified mosquitoes designed to reduce
disease are among the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2012 selected by a panel
of Cleveland Clinic doctors and scientists during its annual Medical Innovation
Here’s a look at the amazing therapies and game-changing technologies
expected to dramatically reshape healthcare—and save lives—this year:
#10. Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria,
dengue, and West Nile, kill more people than any other disease, and infect more
than 700 million people. As a new tactic to fight these diseases, 3 million
genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes were released in the Caymans in
2010 to mate with wild female mosquitoes, resulting in an 80 percent
In the future, scientists hope to create mosquitoes with a new
genetic trait that prevents malaria transmission.
Twenty-six million Americans have
diabetes and 79 million have prediabetes. A new class of drugs awaiting FDA
approval called SGLT2 inhibitors works in a totally new way.
affecting the supply or use of insulin, as most current drugs do, the new drugs
lower blood sugar by causing sugar to be excreted in urine. The resulting loss
of calories helps diabetics, who tend to be overweight, lose weight.