Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Implant Breakthrough Lets Man With Severed Spinal Column Walk Naturally
USA Today: Paralyzed Man Walks Naturally With Brain, Spinal Cord Implants
A Dutch man whose spinal cord was injured in a bike accident a dozen years ago can now walk thanks to stimulators implanted on his brain and spinal cord, according to a study published Wednesday. Previous versions of the spinal cord stimulation that Gert-Jan Oskam received have helped people stand and take steps, but only after first pushing a button to activate the device. The new system enables him to merely think about walking before he can do it. (Weintraub, 5/24)
The New York Times: Brain And Spine Implants Allow Paralyzed Man To Walk Naturally Again
Gert-Jan Oskam was living in China in 2011 when he was in a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed from the hips down. Now, with a combination of devices, scientists have given him control over his lower body again. “For 12 years I’ve been trying to get back my feet,” Mr. Oskam said in a press briefing on Tuesday. “Now I have learned how to walk normal, natural.” (Whang, 5/24)
Read the study in Nature —
Walking naturally after spinal cord injury using a brain–spine interface
Also —
Forbes: Scientists Discover Chemical That Could Help Heal Nerve Damage—A Potential Breakthrough For Paralysis Patients
Scientists have discovered a new chemical that could help heal nerve damage, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature, which offers early hope for one day reversing the paralysis and lost functioning that can stem from nerve injuries. (Hart, 5/24)
VnExpress International: Botulism Patients Face Paralysis Risk As Vietnam Runs Out Of Antitoxin
Three men poisoned with botulinum after eating pork bologna and fermented food in Ho Chi Minh City could be paralyzed completely, doctors have said. ... According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, botulinum poisoning rarely occurs around the world and therefore the supply of BAT is limited. In Vietnam, BAT is not listed among medicines covered by the health insurance fund. The Ministry of Health is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) to get BAT as soon as possible.
