As Tevye, in “Fiddler on the Roof” muses on questions “that would cross a rabbi’s eyes” I increasingly ask myself what turpitude could so blithely defame Israel. The nation is a democracy in an archipelago of tyranny, racism, religious intolerance, and oppression. Nonetheless, academics, politicians and the media in our own nation indulge in virtually routine bias against a small country that contributes such outsize research and development in every aspect of human endeavor. Michael Ordman’s weekly newsletter shatters the lies. Please read it……rsk
https://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
ALS treatment trial success. (TY I24 News) The cellular therapy from Israel’s Kadimastem (see here previously) was able to slow down the progression of ALS in its first human clinical trial on ten patients. Kadimastem’s Vice President of R&D Michal Izrael describes the treatment and the next trial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHbjiBZepC8
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israeli-cellular-therapy-provides-hope-for-people-suffering-from-als/
Eradicating cancer. To mark World Cancer Day on 4th Feb, these articles describe some of the latest developments of Israeli scientists at the Technion Institute, Ben Gurion University, and Tel Aviv University.
https://nocamels.com/2022/02/cancer-innovative-therapy-strategies/
https://www.vpklab.sites.tau.ac.il/
Anti-viral treatment has promise. (TY WIN) Israel’s Todos (see here previously) completed a Phase 2 study of its Tollovir treatment on 31 hospitalized Covid-19 patients. Their clinical improvement was 2.7 days faster than the placebo group. Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hospital is now allowing Tollovir for compassionate use.
https://www.israel21c.org/covid-19-antiviral-drug-shows-promising-results/
Repairing livers for transplant. Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center performed, for the first time in Israel, a donor liver machine perfusion (MP) to improve a dilapidated liver and successfully transplant it into a patient. By repairing aged and damaged livers, it will reduce the shortage of livers from deceased donors.
https://www.jns.org/using-new-technology-israel-aims-to-make-more-livers-available-for-transplantation/
Protecting preemies’ first breath. A previous newsletter (see here) featured a monitor to detect if premature babies were damaged by their ventilator. Now scientists at Israel’s Technion have discovered the underlying reason for the damage and successfully tested a treatment that could save thousands of young lives.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2022/01/mechanical-ventilation-preterm-babies/
More IVF patients to self-monitor. IVF patients of Israel’s Clalit Heathcare have performed nearly 15,000 UV scans using Israel’s Pulsenmore (see here previously) to monitor their pregnancies. Clalit are purchasing thousands more Pulsenmore remote hand-held devices – especially important during the coronavirus pandemic.
https://nocamels.com/2022/01/pulsenmore-clalit-ivf-ultrasound-home/
Sweet Victory over sugar cravings. Israel’s Sweet Victory (see here previously) has completed a successful pilot study of its innovative chewing gum at the Obesity Research Center of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center. In just two minutes it blocks the sugar receptors on the tongue. Available in Israel, France and soon the USA.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/sweet-victory-over-sugar-cravings-822460508.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaetu-zwHiw
A window into the body. Researchers from Israel’s Weizmann Institute have shown how to monitor genes deep inside the body. They used a genetic dye and engineered cells to light up when those genes are expressed. One day it will help monitor the success of cell therapy for cancer or the success of transplanted organs.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/chemistry/tracking-multiple-genes-flying-colors
https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-israeli-imaging-technique-gives-unprecedented-window-into-genes-deep-in-body/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-021-01162-5
Home visits for your pet. Israel’s The Vets has established a startup for owners of pets in over 10 cities across the USA. It offers a full range of home treatments for pets, including wellness exams, home lab tests, vaccinations, travel certificates, microchipping, and more. The Vets’ product and R&D centers are in Tel Aviv.
https://thevets.com/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3928196,00.html
First among equals. Having just donated an ambulance to United Hatzalah, EMT volunteer Kenneth was proudly driving it on its first shift in Beitar Illit. Suddenly he received an emergency call and seconds later was using equipment from the ambulance to successfully help resuscitate a patient without any vital signs.
https://israelrescue.org/blog/volunteer-emt-donates-ambulance-then-performs-successful-cpr-during-vehicles-first-shift/