3D Printing Applications for Healthcare Will Transform Medical Devices and Pharma Industries

 Pharmacy distribution is expected to be disrupted by 3D printing that simplifies drug customization, finds Frost & Sullivan’s TechVision team

3D printing technology is the ideal solution for the healthcare industry’s need for the efficient production of complex and personalized products. A large number of market majors have shown deep interest in adopting 3D printing for its ability to customize drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and medical devices, driving an era of personalized medicine. The field that is most likely to be disrupted by 3D printing is pharmacy distribution of drugs because of the ease of obtaining customized dosage quantities of medication.

“Using 3D-printed tissues for drug testing, clinical trials and toxicity testing will have a huge impact in the pharmaceutical sector, as they will help eliminate costly animal testing and use of synthetic tissues,” noted Frost & Sullivan TechVision Research Analyst Madhumitha Rangesa. “However, traditional, large-scale manufacturing is still more economical for mass production of drugs; 3D printing will be viable for small-volume production in orphan diseases.”

3D Printing for Healthcare Applications, recent research from Frost & Sullivan’s TechVision (Medical Devices & Imaging) Growth Partnership Service program, finds that there is a slow shift in pharma toward continuous manufacturing (CM), which can shrink production time to less than 10 days. When this practice is merged with 3D printing, pharma companies can develop various dosage forms for a specific, customized demographic. 3D printing will also bring about a change in the structure of the medication, making it easier to swallow or dissolve, and more attractive to children by printing them in any shape and size.

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Currently, the most researched and popular tools for the development of drugs/medication using 3D printing techniques are thermal inkjet printers, which can be used with powder-based medications. The tablets/pills manufactured can be customized to the patient’s requirements by structuring them layer by layer, with precise dosage of each ingredient, at a granular level. The use of 3D-printing technology in designing and prototyping will also tremendously reduce material wastage.

Despite all the progress being made, the pharma industry is facing challenges in securing approval from various government regulatory bodies for medical application of 3D printing. Furthermore, there are high chances of counterfeiting in the market.

“Current products being developed using 3D printing are largely in applications areas such as medical implants, surgical guides, prosthetics, orthotics, orthodontics and anatomical models for surgery,” noted Rangesa. “Furthermore, a wealth of opportunities is opening up in future healthcare applications areas such as creation of bone structures, airway tracheal splints and medicine.”

About TechVision

Frost & Sullivan's global TechVision practice is focused on innovation, disruption and convergence, and provides a variety of technology-based alerts, newsletters and research services as well as growth consulting services. Its premier offering, the TechVision program, identifies and evaluates the most valuable emerging and disruptive technologies enabling products with near-term potential. A unique feature of the TechVision program is an annual selection of 50 technologies that can generate convergence scenarios, possibly disrupt the innovation landscape, and drive transformational growth. View a summary of our TechVision program by clicking on the following link: http://ifrost.frost.com/TechVision_Demo.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

6 Foods That Can Help Save Your Skin From Sun Damage

Just as an unhealthy diet can have a negative effect on your skin and health, a healthy diet high in antioxidant-rich foods can help protect your body, even from the sun. Since antioxidants help reduce inflammation and free radicals, loading your diet with them will go a long way against sunburn and skin damage as a result of UV rays. We connected with Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O., a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine for his list of foods that help prevent sun damage.

To be clear, Dr. Calapai is not saying you should completely replace using daily use of sunscreen with food, but what you eat can offer additional protection for your skin. So if you’re looking for some ingestible sun protection, add these six sun-friendly foods to your next shopping list.

1. Berries & stone fruits

Strawberries, blueberries and cherries contain high levels of vitamin C, which can reduce free radical damage caused by exposure to UV radiation. Vitamin C also stimulates collagen production, important for skin’s youthful appearance. As a bonus, cherries contain melatonin, which protects skin from UV radiation and repairs sunburn damage.

2. Leafy greens

If it’s green and it’s got leaves, chances are it’s good for sun protection. According to one study, spinach, kale and swiss chard can reduce the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 50%. Broccoli is also a good choice: it’s full of sulphoraphane, an antioxidant that helps your cells protect themselves against UV radiation.

Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, sage and rosemary are also packed with free radical-fighting, skin-protecting antioxidants. Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to cruciferous vegetables.

3. Red & orange produce

The antioxidant lycopene has been shown to protect the skin against sunburn and is at least twice as effective an antioxidant as betacarotene when it comes to blocking UV light. It also helps rid the body of free radicals. Chow down on tomatoes, papaya, guava, red bell peppers and pink grapefruit. Watermelon is an especially good choice: it contains 40% more lycopene than tomatoes.

4. Micro-algae

Spirulna has been dubbed “the next great superfood,” and for good reason. This micro-algea, along with chlorella, contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which has been shown to protect the skin and eyes against UV radiation. It also fights free radicals and inflammation to prevent sun damage by preventing UV-induced cell damage.

If micro-algea isn’t exactly your cup of tea, you can find this powerful antioxidant in shrimp and salmon.

5. Chocolate

As long as it’s dark chocolate you’re eating, you’ll be ingesting plenty of flavanoids, which can improve your skin’s ability protect against sunburns and other UV-induced issues.

Research found that people who ate about one ounce of high-percentage dark chocolate every day for three months could withstand twice the amount of UVB rays before their skin started to turn red, compared to those who didn’t.

6. Green & black tea

The myriad health benefits of tea are well known, but it’s nice to know that the cups you’re drinking can also help protect against sun damage. Green and black teas are packed with polyphenols that can help stop cancer development by limiting the blood supply to the cancerous area. Green tea can even help prevent non-melanoma skin cancer by enhancing DNA repair.

Ontario Shores and Mozzaz to Launch Mobile Mental Health App

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) and Mozzaz are set to formally unveil their patient engagement mobile app which delivers personalized mobile interventions to patients.

Ontario Shores, a specialty mental health hospital in Whitby, Ontario, and Mozzaz, a digital health company based in Waterloo, Ontario, are engaged in a project that elevates the patient experience by providing a tool which engages patients in their care at their convenience.

The launch event will feature a demonstration of the mobile app along with remarks from Ontario Shores President and CEO Karim Mamdani and Rini Gahir, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Mozzaz.

About Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences:
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) is a leader in mental health care, providing a range of specialized assessment and treatment services for people living with complex mental illness. Patients benefit from a recovery-oriented environment of care, built on compassion, inspiration and hope. Ontario Shores engages in research, education and advocacy initiatives to advance the mental health care system.

About Mozzaz:
Mozzaz is a digital health company specializing in patient engagement technology for individuals with complex care needs and the care teams that support them. With a versatile mobile intervention model, Mozzaz can support patient engagement programs for a wide range services including disabilities, behavioural and mental health, and chronic care conditions. Through personalized mobile care plans, Mozzaz can collect data to enable providers and health plans to connect, measure and predict clinical and financial outcomes of quality care keeping patients safe and supported.

SOURCE Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Fitness, food and friendship combine through luxeFIT luxury fitness retreats

New boutique travel company invites you to 'eat your heart out then work it off' during exotic vacations that relax, renew and rejuvenate


Two young businesswomen have found a way to combine their passion for travel and healthy lifestyles through a brand-new venture, luxeFIT. The company offers week-long luxury fitness retreats to exotic destinations, arranging workout sessions and activities, nutritious cuisine prepared by a private chef and opportunities for socializing and fun – all in a luxurious private beachfront estate setting.

LuxeFIT blends fitness, adventure and nutrition with the opportunity to explore new and exciting destinations worldwide. The first retreat is slated for April 30 - May 6, in Barbados. Activities will include yoga, paddleboarding, snorkeling, surfing and water-skiing, with numerous social opportunities — as well as free time — throughout. Excursions will be available to explore Harrison's Caves, tour Mt. Gay Rum Distillery, shop in Holetown and more.

"Our guests will work hard, sweat it out every day, meet like-minded people and have fun in some of the most beautiful places on earth!" said luxeFIT co-founder Loren Mayo. "Our retreats aim to be a place where guests feast on delicious, healthy cuisine, exercise in spirited and challenging sessions with top trainers, experience the sights and sounds of the area and, ultimately, return home looking and feeling better than when they left."

Just as food typically plays a central role in any travel experience, healthy eating is at the core of a luxeFIT adventure. One of the founding principles of luxeFIT is to provide wholesome, delectable, locally produced meals for guests to enjoy. The accommodations feature a private chef, who will offer meals that meet guests' nutritional needs, while taking great care to develop menus reflecting the culture of the destination.

Business partners Loren Mayo of Sarasota and Holly Morris of New York City at the University of Central Florida. Mayo's career is rooted in journalism and marketing. Morris worked in hospitality management before making a career change to human resources. Both, however, share a passion for fitness, healthy eating and exotic travel. The two launched luxeFIT in November 2016, engaging Mia Duval, an Orangetheory fitness instructor in Sarasota, FL, as head trainer for the venture.

Beyond the Barbados retreat, the duo is exploring additional options in the Caribbean and Mexico.

"From invigorating workouts to gourmet fare, this program is designed to nourish and energize our guests on every level, offering the perfect blend of cardio, rest and relaxation,” said Morris. “It’s paradise with a purpose — a better, more balanced you, in less than a week!"

Retreats are all-inclusive — all but airfare is included. Guests will enjoy six-nights in either a 5-Star villa or luxury condo, freshly prepared meals with an emphasis on local cuisine, fitness and yoga sessions, the ability to work out with a first-rate fitness instructor and round-trip transportation to group activities.

About luxeFIT

LuxeFIT blends fitness, nutrition, adventure and the opportunity to explore new and exciting destinations worldwide. Our fitness adventure experts coordinate all-inclusive, week-long luxury fitness retreats to exotic destinations, offering workout sessions and activities, healthy food prepared by a private chef and opportunities for socializing and fun – all in luxurious villa settings.

Today we celebrate the 10^th annual World Sleep Day. It is organized by the World Sleep Society, founded by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) and the World Sleep Federation (WSF), an international association whose mission is to advance sleep health worldwide.

Frost & Sullivan has been researching how digital health applications can improve our sleep experience. Nowadays, consumers are able to utilize everyday devices as a way to gain a valuable perspective about a critical aspect of their health – the quality of their sleep.  There are numerous applications, wearables and devices that can create an ecosystem that produces and analyzes vital information that can be used by professionals to help an individual.  As consumers create a technology-based ecosystem around their sleep experience, all the patient-generated datagathered will contribute to larger studies that will support sleep science. This will lead to breakthroughs that will help our society to resolve sleep disorders and improve health and wellness globally.

Transformational Health Principal Analyst Victor Camlek explains: “This year's World Sleep Day theme is "Sleep Soundly, Nurture Life." The good news as we move forward is that we can now measure the quality of our sleep using connected digital technology in the natural setting of our home.  Whereas in the past patients needed to check-in to specialized facilities to assess their sleep for serious health related issues, today we can determine information about many aspects of our sleep adopting easy to use sensorsand remote monitors.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the key technologies in the market that can improve our ability to measure sleep by interfacing with other platforms and by leveraging a voice interactive AI system. For example, the Amazon Echo device can become a new partner in our healthcare as it can help to intersect with other aspects of digital health, all within the connected home environment.

“These advances permit us to address the need for serious intervention much sooner and much easier than in the past. Frost & Sullivan actively tracks progress in the sleep technology market, as well as innovative companies who are contributing to the disruption of this digital health segment," concludes Camlek.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the global Growth Partnership Company, has spent more than 50 years guiding our clients toward transformational growth strategies. We focus on innovation opportunities driven by disruptive technologies, mega trends, emerging markets and new business models. Through our Growth Partnership model, we collaborate with clients to leverage visionary innovation that takes advantage of our convergence expertise, an experiential learning platform, 360-degree industry coverage and complete global perspective. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry disruption, increasing competitive intensity, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Canadian Beverage Association statement regarding University of Waterloo report on beverage tax in Canada

-- Report findings do not reflect Canadian marketplace --

TORONTO, March 16, 2017 /CNW/ - In response to the report released today, The Health and Economic Impacts of a Sugary Drinks Tax in Canada, the Canadian Beverage Association issued the following statement:

Fiscal interventions like consumption taxes have not proven to be successful in terms of obesity reduction.  What works are real, meaningful, coordinated efforts by government, industry, and healthcare and consumer stakeholders to implement evidence-based solutions.

Sound public health policy must be based on the most substantive, rigorous sources of research available.  The report findings, however, are based on data that do not reflect the Canadian beverage marketplace.  The data set from Euromonitor used in the analysis for this report included non-diet carbonated beverages, along with whole-category volumes (both low calorie and full calorie) for other beverage categories. All of these beverage categories would include some percentage of reduced-calorie varieties, and therefore the reported findings do not reflect the Canadian beverage marketplace, where more than 45% of beverages purchased are no- or low-calorie.

By contrast, The Conference Board of Canada: Balance Calories Baseline Report, organized all beverages into full calorie and reduced calorie categories to reflect the beverages available on store shelves in Canada. The Conference Board report concludes that daily per capita calories consumed through liquid refreshment beverage (LRB), which includes all non-dairy, non-alcoholic beverage categories such as 100% juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, iced teas, etc…, have declined by 20% per capita between 2004-2014. Canadians consume 141 calories from LRB, well under 10% of daily calorie recommendations. In the report released today, if calorie-reduced varieties are excluded, per capita net volume of all non-diet beverages (including flavoured dairy, drinkable yogurts and 100% juices) is 350 ml/day, or about 150 calories/day.

Through the industry-led Balance Calories initiative, Canada's leading beverage companies have set a goal to reduce beverage calories by a further 20% by 2025, an objective that cannot be achieved through projected trends alone.

Regarding the model projections used in the University of Waterloo report, the authors assume a relationship between taxation and lower body mass index. While the beverage industry supports efforts to address serious obesity and obesity-related diseases, it is illogical to isolate one single ingredient or product as a unique contributor. Experts, including Health Canada, agree that the factors associated with these issues are complex, and include overall health behaviours, and broader social, environmental and biological determinants.

As an industry, we understand we have a role to play in the health of Canadians. We can all work together on solutions for overconsumption, while respecting that for Canadians, LRB calories and sugar from beverages are declining. Canadians continue to consume fewer calories, and calories from sugar, from refreshment beverages than they did in 2004.

The Canadian Beverage Association and its members encourage continued dialogue and a collaborative effort between industry, health organizations, and public officials to develop holistic workable solutions to create lasting change for Canadians.

The Canadian Beverage Association is the national trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute the majority of non-alcoholic refreshment beverages consumed in Canada. For more information, visit: balancecalories.ca and canadianbeverage.ca

Please click here for additional background, context, and citations

SOURCE Canadian Beverage Association

New York City based Beauty Expert Jill Caruso of Fox Vein Care, has come up with the perfect Winter to Spring beauty tips to ensure vibrant skin.

Harsh weather conditions in the Winter can bring anyone’s skin woes, so as the first bud of spring blooms there are a few things to keep in mind. Jill is a Board Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist and her distinctive background in medicine, design, and skin esthetics gives her a unique approach when analyzing a patient's face and determining an individual treatment. She suggests the following for Winter to Spring flawless skin:

Ø  Do not forget your sunscreen - This is not an option, but an essential everyday necessity, regardless of weather, to protect your skin from UV radiation. Also, contrary to popular belief, SPF ratings higher than 30 do not offer more protection and no sunscreen can block more than 97 percent of UV rays.

Ø  Be sure to moisturize daily - Moisturizing your face will help you to look and feel younger, resulting in softer, more elastic skin… not to mention it will keep your skin hydrated.

Ø  Wash your face every night - This is vital, as it removes not only makeup, but the dirt and dust that accumulates throughout the day. Outside elements as well as makeup clogs your pores with dirt, dust, smoke, etc., however, Jill suggests that soap-less cleansers are okay occasionally as they can act as cleansers with nondrying agents.

Ø  Light Chemical peels can be great for the season change - There are lower UV levels during the winter, making it optimal for recovery and an ideal time to prepare your skin for the forthcoming spring season.

Ø  Lastly, when it comes to makeup, less is more - People often tend to overdo it on the winter.  Heavy foundation, mascara, and lipstick often ages women.

Jill Caruso RN, BSN, CANS

Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist

Jill Caruso is a Board Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist and one of only 220 practitioners with credentials from the Plastic Surgery Nursing Board.

Jill began working as a cosmetic injection practioner more than 7 years ago, and started working alongside Dr. David Fox at Fox Vein Care in 2014.  She specializes in anti-aging treatments and clinical skin care. Using injectable fillers, neurotoxins, chemical peels, lasers, and Kybella, Jill softens the signs of aging.  Her "less is more" philosophy and innate artistic ability, combined with a passion for personalized patient care allows her to give her clients the most optimal outcome; their most beautiful, natural self.
Jill holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh. She also has earned a Certificate in Design from Parsons School of Design and holds a New York State Esthetics license. Her background in medicine, design, and skincare gives her a distinct approach when analyzing a patient's face and determining an individual treatment.
To stay abreast of the latest advances in anti-aging treatments and technologies, Jill regularly participates in medical and aesthetic meetings, workshops, and seminars. In February 2017, Jill attended the Aesthetic Blueprint with Dr. Kent Remington and Dr. Arthur Swift.  This in-depth, immersive seminar was created exclusively for the top 1% of advanced injectors worldwide.

In October 2015, Jill was selected by Allergan (Botox, Juvederm, Voluma, Kybella, and Skin Medica) to work directly with world-renowned plastic surgeon Mauricio de Maio during his three-day Master Class in Manhattan. This opportunity was given to only one non-physician, practitioner in New York City. Learn more about Jill here https://www.facebook.com/jillcarusonyc/.

Better sleep feels like winning the lottery

• Improving your sleep makes you feel as good as a lottery winner – leading to high levels of health and wellbeing over time - say University of Warwick psychologists
• Quality of sleep more important than quantity for optimal health and happiness
• Study analysed link between sleep and mental & physical wellbeing in households across the UK
• Working on better sleep could be an effective, cheap and simple public health strategy

Improving your sleep quality is as beneficial to health and happiness as winning the lottery, according to research by the University of Warwick.

Dr Nicole Tang in the Department of Psychology has discovered that working on getting a better night’s sleep can lead to optimal physical and mental wellbeing over time – and that quality of sleep is more important than how many hours you get.

Analysing the sleep patterns of more than 30,500 people in UK households across four years, Dr Tang finds that improving your sleep quality leads to levels of mental and physical health comparable to those of somebody who’s won a jackpot of around £200,000.

The study shows that positive changes in sleep over time – improved quality and quantity, and using less sleep medication - are linked with improved scores on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), which is used by mental health professionals to monitor psychological wellbeing in patients.

People surveyed who reported positive improved sleep scored a 2-point change in the GHQ – a result comparable to those recorded from patients completing an eight-week programme of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy designed to improve psychological wellbeing.

Furthermore, the same people showed improved scores on the 12-Item Short Form Survey, which tests levels of physical and emotional health, as well as people’s ability to perform everyday activities.

Conversely, it was found that a lack of sleep, bad quality sleep, and using more sleep medication can lead to worsened medical and emotional states.

Dr Tang’s research proves that improving the quality and quantity of sleep amongst the population – as well as discouraging the use of sleep medication - is an effective, simple and cheap method of raising the health and wellbeing of society as a whole.

Consequently, she argues that working on getting good quality sleep, and the reduction of sleep medication, should be promoted as a public health value – something that everyone can do easily to stay physically and mentally healthy.

Dr Tang comments:

“We are far from demonstrating a causal relationship, but the current findings suggest that a positive change in sleep is linked to better physical and mental wellbeing further down the line.

“It is refreshing to see the healing potential of sleep outside of clinical trial settings, as this goes to show that the benefits of better sleep are accessible to everyone and not reserved for those with extremely bad sleep requiring intensive treatments.

“An important next step is to look at the differences between those who demonstrate a positive and negative change in sleep over time, and identify what lifestyle factors and day-to-day activities are conducive to promoting sleep. Further research in this area can inform the design of public health initiatives.”

The paper, ‘Changes in Sleep Duration, Quality, and Medication Use are Prospectively Associated with Health and Wellbeing: Analysis of the UK Households Study’ is published in SLEEP.

It is co-authored by Dr Mark Fiecas, Esther Afolalu and Professor Dieter Wolke.

Image: Creative Commons, "Sleeping Woman", by Petr Kratochvil

Robotics Epicenter Shifts from Japan to the United States in the Global Healthcare Industry

United States emerging as the development and application hub for both industrial and service robots, finds Frost & Sullivan’s Transformational Health team

The pressing need to streamline workflows, improve the quality of healthcare, and provide round-the-clock monitoring for the growing population of elderly and disabled patients is driving the global care assistant robots market. Expected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate of 36 percent between 2017 and 2021, the market encourages technology developers and healthcare providers to collaborate, boosting the adoption of care robots for resolving operational workflow bottlenecks. Declining costs of hardware and robot-enabling software will ensure sustainable market growth going forward, guaranteeing high return on investment (ROI) for early-stage investors.

“Robotics, for both industrial and service use, is seeing a regional shift in technology innovation and advanced application; dominance has shifted from the early epicenter in Japan to the United States,” said Transformational Health Industry Analyst Harpreet Singh Buttar. “Many start-ups are emerging from Silicon Valley, where the future of robotics is being shaped.” 

Global Care Assistance and Automation Robots Market, Forecast to 2021, a part of Frost & Sullivan’s Advanced Medical Technologies Growth Partnership Service program, examines the changing footprint of different types of care assistance robots, such as pharma automation, exoskeleton, daily care,  transportation, telepresence, and rehabilitative. The market is expected to generate $4,473.1 million by 2021, with new growth opportunities driven by:

• Growing penetration of cognitive computing, mobile app control, and image or speed recognition
• Widening scope for consolidation within healthcare segments
• Shift to fee-for-value model

Click here for complimentary access to more information on this analysis and to register for a Growth Strategy Dialogue, a free interactive briefing with Frost & Sullivan’s thought leaders.

Successful collaboration, seamless integration of robots within hospital environments, and first-mover advantage are the core strategies enabling top contenders such as Cyberdyne, iRobot, Aethon and Swisslog to stay ahead. Two factors restraining widespread adoption of care assistance robots are high costs of ownership and lack of awareness about the reliability of these systems in critical treatment processes such as surgery. Real-life demonstration of the efficiency of these robots is helping address the first issue. Manufacturers and healthcare organizations must work together to develop robotic solutions that will provide users the best benefits at the lowest risks.

“Rise in demand for hospital telepresence robots is principally due to increasing use of telemedicine, whereby off-site physicians communicate in real time with on-site patients through robots,” observed Buttar. “As competition is expected to increase in the coming years, finding the right type of partner for the right type of robotic technology in any segment will be crucial to gain early leadership and traction in this market.”

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Care Assistance and Automation Robots Market, Forecast to 2021

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