Whether it’s the first birth control pill or next-generation gene editing, there are many new developments with incredible potential. But not all discoveries are equally significant or worthy of the term medical breakthrough. Understanding what makes an advance a real medical breakthrough can help health journalists stay accurate, focused and clear.
Insulin
Invented by Charles Bonnet in 1922, insulin controls blood glucose levels for diabetics, dramatically increasing life expectancy and saving health systems billions worldwide each year. It also delayed the onset of diabetes’ debilitating symptoms, including eye, kidney and nerve damage, amputations and heart disease.
Stem cells
Discovered in the 1970s, stem cells are unique unspecialised cells that can generate any type of cell, giving scientists the potential to grow tissues and organs in the lab. This is a game-changing discovery with the potential to treat a wide range of conditions, from leukaemia and bone marrow transplantation to spinal cord injuries and autoimmune diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Ultrasound
In 1956, Mass General doctors developed ultrasound, a noninvasive imaging technique that creates images of internal body structures such as cysts and tumors. It is the foundation for current medical imaging tools, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which provide detailed and noninvasive information about internal body structures and function.
Scientists had no idea what caused infections prior to 1928, when Alexander Fleming discovered the anti-bacterial substance penicillin in a petri dish. His discovery was revolutionary and helped save millions of lives during World War II. Joseph Lister later applied Pasteur’s germ theory of infection to surgery, significantly improving post-surgery survival rates.