So many amazing things are going on worldwide in medicine and healthcare. Many challenges remain in addressing global health issues. We have made a shortlist of some of the biggest and boldest goals that need to be achieved in tackling many of the greatest health challenges of our time. We will report progress in the area of 10 big leap-forward goals – moonshots as we like to call many of them. Where are we now and what progress can we expect and accelerate?
10 Moonshots
to make giant leaps for patients
Cancer remains a top killer. Research is running at full speed. Many of the greatest minds on the planet are dedicated to finding out how to beat it, taking advantage of all the technological advances that sciences has achieved. What does it all mean in terms of curing cancer? How close are we to finding more effective treatments? How far have we come and how long is the road ahead?
Infectious diseases have taken the lives of too many people around the world throughout history. New infectious diseases are emerging, old diseases are re-emerging and antibiotic resistance is becoming a major problem. Issues related to infectious diseases in the context of global health are on the agendas of world leaders. Can we conquer infectious diseases – everywhere in the world?
After decades of struggle, are we at a point where we can give patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, schizophrenia, autism, sleep disorders hope? Do implantable electronic devices hold promise for treating neurological disorders? Will new treatments and diagnostics hit clinics in the near future? Does gene therapy hold any promise? How good do we know our brain?
Regenerative medicine is a game-changing area of medicine aimed at healing damaged human tissue and organs. Are we at a point it provides hope for people with conditions beyond repair? Will waiting lists for organ transplants become a thing of the past? Will there be a day when patients suffering from paralysis regain movement? How close is the stem cell to cure to Alzheimer’s disease?
Rather than treat disease, patients, healthcare providers and governments may aim to prevent illness in the first place. Will we be able to move away from today’s sick care and shift healthcare spending to prevention? Will people have the tools they need to take control of their own health?
It’s no longer a question of if. Artificial Intelligence (AI) I is poised to become a transformative technology in healthcare. We have only just scratched the surface of what it can be. How will artificial intelligence evolve to help meet the needs of patients and healthcare professionals in an increasingly complex healthcare environment?
Access to quality healthcare is a basic right for everyone – yet it is still not a reality for all of us. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services. Everyone should be able to enjoy good health, regardless of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.
Healthcare systems need to establish a partnership among providers, companies, patients, and their families to align decisions with patients’ wants, needs, and preferences. This also includes the delivery of specific education and support patients need to make these decisions and participate in their own care.
