#11: AI Glasses for the Blind, Lab-Grown Teeth, & Goa’s Free IVF Launch

This week in healthcare, research is booming with discoveries that blend science, tech, and everyday habits. Brain inflammation may be behind the emotional dip in cancer patients. Smartphones might help slow dementia, and walking faster could protect your heart. A cheap drug combo could save lives post-heart attack, medical cannabis is gaining serious scientific backing, and climate change might raise arsenic levels in your rice. The future of healthcare is unfolding fast-let’s dive in!

• 🩻 SPARK Radiology has launched SPARK.ai in India. It streamlines radiology workflows by cutting manual work and speeding up report turnaround by integrating with existing systems to quickly generate, review, approve, and distribute reports. A great solution for the 20,000 radiologists serving 1.4B people! (EH)

• 🥽 A new AI-powered wearable is helping blind users move with more confidence and ease. It uses a camera on glasses to give real-time audio and vibration cues- think of it like a GPS for your feet! In early tests, users navigated 25% better, indoors and out. (Nature)

• 🧠 Turns out that "blah" feeling in late-stage cancer patients isn't just physical decline. Researchers found that cancer sparks brain inflammation, which lowers dopamine (your feel-good chemical). Mouse studies show that calming this brain buzz could bring back the drive. Hope ahead! (ETHealthWorld)

• 🦷 Tooth Fairy, meet science! King's College London scientists have successfully grown human teeth in the lab. These bioengineered "toothlets" mimic natural development and could one day replace implants. But don’t rush to the dentist just yet, it could take years before we see these in clinical use! (BBC)

• 📱 A review of studies involving 411,000 adults aged 50+ suggests that using smartphones and computers may help slow cognitive decline, such as dementia, by keeping the brain engaged. But beware: too much screen time could do more harm than good! (MSN)

• ❤️‍🩹 A new study says pairing statins with ezetimibe right after a heart attack could seriously cut the risk of future attacks, strokes, or even death. The best part? These meds are cheap (~£350/year), widely available, and low on side effects, yet hardly anyone’s using them together. So why aren’t more docs prescribing them together? (The Guardian)

• 🚶 Your walking speed might be telling your heart something important. A UK study of over 420,000 adults found that brisk walkers (those walking faster than 4 mph) reduced their risk of heart rhythm issues like atrial fibrillation by 43%. It's not about how much you walk, but how fast. (ET)

• 🌿 The biggest-ever AI study (10K+ papers!) backs medical cannabis for easing cancer-related inflammation, nausea, and appetite loss — and even hints it might slow cancer spread. Despite its narcotic label, the science is growing strong. (ET)

• 🍚 Climate change is heating up… your rice? A new study warns that by 2050, rising temperatures and water stress could boost arsenic absorption in rice crops. Why? Warmer, drier conditions force plants to take in more arsenic from the soil. The result: higher risks of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes — especially in rice-loving regions like India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. (IE)

• 📈 TATA AIG has launched MediCare Select to expand retail health coverage, aiming to grow its hospital network from 11,500 to 14,000+ by FY27. Tier 2 and 3 cities are set to power 35% of its health portfolio- up from 26% today. (EH)

• 💊 Elli Lily has launched a new type 2 diabetes and obesity pill, Orforglipron. Unlike Ozempic, it offers a needle-free option without food or water restrictions, making it an appealing alternative. Just pop and go - no shots, no stress! (TOI)

• ⚠️ Dolo 650 is basically India’s unofficial national pill, famous for tackling fever and pain. But experts say: don’t pop it like candy! Too much paracetamol (its main ingredient) can harm your liver. (News18)

🇮🇳 India

• 🌍 After years in the shadows, a mysterious form of diabetes is back in the headlines. Now officially dubbed Type 5 diabetes by the International Diabetes Federation, it affects 25-30 million people, mostly lean youths who faced undernutrition early in life. Countries like India, Uganda, and Sri Lanka are primarily at risk. (TOI) (MD)

• 🍼 Goa just made history! Goa Medical College launches India’s first fully govt-subsidised IVF program, making fertility treatment 100% free for eligible couples. Powered by CSR, driven by care. (ETHealthworld)

🌏️ Global

• 🇺🇲 Trump’s draft budget slashes funding by one-third for major U.S. health agencies like the NIH, CDC, and FDA - gutting research, disease prevention, and public health programs. (Healthcaredive)

🇮🇳 India

• 💰 India’s healthcare spending is expected to rise from 3.3% to 5% of GDP by 2030. The sector is set for major changes, driven by investments, policy initiatives, and demographic shifts. (ETHealthWorld)

• 🚨 Investors have filed a ₹279 crore claim on B2B medtech marketplace Medikabazaar, accusing ousted CEO Vivek Tiwari of financial misreporting and breach of trust. With missed milestones and shaky stock options, the startup now finds itself in hot water and joins the growing club of Indian firms facing serious governance heat. (Mint)

• 🌍 Zydus MedTech has partnered with Braile Biomédica to introduce Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) technology- a minimally invasive method to replace diseased aortic valves without open-heart surgery. They are tapping into a global $6B market, expanding their reach to India, Europe, and beyond. (BioS) 

🌏️ Global

• 👁️ India’s Remidio, the eye care innovators, are teaming up with Iceland’s RetinaRisk to boost AI-driven diabetic retinopathy screening! Using Remidio’s AI tool and RetinaRisk’s personalised algorithms, they’re making screening smarter and more efficient in both countries. (BioS)

• 👶 Cofertility, a fertility startup, raised $7.25M in Series A funding to expand its innovative egg freezing platform. Their "Split" program allows women to freeze eggs for free by donating half to those facing infertility, making treatments affordable and accessible. (Pulse)