Important Innovations

  D AILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane BMW's VERY SMART CAR                                                                 Source:  BMW                BMW'S new 5 Series Saloon is so smart it suggests when to change lanes and, with the driver's approval, changes lanes on its own Driver agrees with the lane cha...

  New Anti-COVID Pill Could Be a COVID Gamechanger                               Source:  Merck & COVID-19 Images Pending FDA Approval, It Appears To Work & Work Well Merck's experimental antiviral pill has been tested on 754 COVID patients and appears to demonstrate that it cuts in half the chances of dying or being hospitalized from COVID-19.  The data is being hailed by some global health experts as a revolutionary new way to treat the deadly virus that has taken 5 million lives globally and 700,000 lives in the US alone.  The key point is it appears to keep people out of the hospital and treat them from getting severe symptoms while staying at home.  Molnupiravir Pills The medication is called molnupiravir and it works in a very different manner to undermine the potentially deadly effects of the virus once someone is infected by it. The molnupiravir pill creates...

    FDA Approves Moderna COVID Vaccine                                                                                Source:  Stock COVID image FDA Okays Australia's Home Diagnostic Test For COVID The FDA has given emergency approval to Moderna's COVID vaccine, making it the second COVID vaccine, along with Pfizer's,  available in the US.  The vaccine is 95% effective and is available to adults, while trials are expanded for teenagers. Meanwhile, the Australian diagnostic test company Ellume has scored a big win.  The FDA has approved its over the counter, at home,  COVID-19 test.  This is the first COVID-19 test approved for use at home.  Ellume Home COVID Test The system uses a nasal swab to collect data...

  Pfizer To Request Quick Emergency FDA Approval Source:  Pfizer COVID Vaccine Suddenly There Is Hope    Pfizer has completed its late stage trial of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying it is 95% effective.  The company adds that it is effective on older adults, who are more vulnerable, and works against both mild and severe cases of COVID.  The company has the required 2 months of safety data for regulators.  Within days, Pfizer says it will apply for emergency FDA approval to start making it available for public use.  The vaccine's efficacy rate is the highest among all current vaccine candidate now in trials.  As the Economist magazine put it "Suddenly There is Hope". "The Speed of Science" Pfizer expects that the FDA will hold a public hearing on their vaccine in December.  Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says knowing that every day matters in the fight against COVID, the company is moving at what he calls "the speed of science".  The vaccine...

New Cottonseed Just Approved by FDA Regulators Source:  Texas A&M Cotton Plants Protein Packed & Hoped to Alleviate Global Malnutrition This is a remarkable, new, genetically altered cotton plant developed by scientists at Texas A&M University.  US regulators at the Food and Drug Administration have just approved the genetically modified cottonseed from the plant for human consumption and also for any type of animal consumption.  The new plant is being called a protein packed new food source.  It's said to taste like chickpeas. Helping to Feed the World Developers say it could help address global malnutrition.  The Texas A&M research team is talking with companies and expects to have the new plant commercialized and available within 5 years.  They are also working on regulatory approvals in other countries like Mexico. New Cotton Plant The key to the scientists' success is what's called RNA interference technology.  That s...

Recall Example of Medical Devices Vulnerable to Cyber Attack Source:  Medtronic Insulin Pump FDA and Medtronic Recall Certain Insulin Pumps for People with Type One Diab etes This is new evidence that even vital medical devices can be hacked into by cyber criminals.  The FDA and Medtronic just announced the recall of certain wireless insulin pumps for people with Type One diabetes  because they can be hacked into by cyber criminals.  It's one of the first examples of vital medical devices vulnerable to cyber threats.  For a news blog with more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Cyberhack Risk, Insulin Pump Recall : New Cyberwar Threat:  Medical Devices - Medtronics' MiniMed 508 Insulin Pump Recall Source:  Medtronics Rare Medical Device Hack...