The discovery of a medical breakthrough can revolutionise healthcare and save lives. Medical breakthroughs often occur in the form of new treatments, therapies or devices that make it easier and safer to diagnose and treat health conditions. Such advances may also help patients live longer, healthier and happier lives.
In 1896, William Conrad Roentgen developed X-rays that allowed physicians to visualise the inner structures of the body without having to cut or open a patient. His invention enabled operations that were previously deemed impossible – such as removal of tumours and some types of heart surgery.
Other major breakthroughs include Alexander Fleming’s 1928 discovery of the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin, which revolutionised the war against deadly bacteria, saving millions of lives. More recently, scientists have developed gene editing tools like Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) that allow them to correct genetic mutations – and even cure diseases such as sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
Regenerative medicine is a rapidly growing field that aims to replace or regenerate damaged tissues and organs, and includes stem cell therapy, tissue engineering and gene therapy. It could alleviate many disease symptoms and prevent or delay disability, including amputations and paralysis, by eliminating the need for donor organs, waiting lists, long-term medication and immunosuppression.