Devices

Smaller and more powerful devices with very long battery life have been created to help control the heart beat, improve heart pumping, decrease the number of epileptic seizures and even decrease depression for those not well treated by drugs. Soon there will be insulin pumps that can sense the body's blood sugar level and inject just the right amount of insulin -- and many more to come.

Imaging

What we used to call "X-rays" are dramatically changing with superb anatomic images that show some of the smallest details of our organs and the ability to "see" actual function within tissues and cells. And they are not just used for diagnosis anymore but for actual therapy of problems formerly treated in the operating room. With all of the information in digital format, images can be viewed at anytime, at anyplace and by any (authorized) person.

Vaccines

Expect new vaccines to prevent not only infections but also to prevent and treat many chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis, coronary artery disease, and Alzheimer’s. And their will be vaccines designed specifically for an individual – custom tailoring again – to treat residual cancer.

The Promise of Stem Cells

Let’s get away from all the hype and look at what stem cells might actually do - such as help regenerate the damage to the heart after a heart attack or create new pancreas islet cells to replace those lost to type 1 diabetes.