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INNOVA TION IN HEALTHCARE & MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES 8 SPINA BIFIDA PREVENTION Dr Fiona Stanley discovered a low- cost prevention against this serious birth defect that can affect the legs and feet, bowel, bladder and brain: folate. It’s easy to find – folate is the naturally occurring form of folic acid or vitamin B9 found in many vegetable, fortified grain products and seeds, but folate tablets are also readily available. Increased folate intake one month before conception and daily during the first three months of pregnancy can prevent up to 70 per cent of spina bifida cases, and this knowledge has seen spina bifida cases in newborns plummet across the world. RELENZA ANTI-FLU MEDICATION Flu virus has a part of its molecule that doesn’t change through different generations. That was the key element for researchers trying to develop a treatment for flu, a common viral disease. CSIRO Division of Protein Chemistry was responsible for the achievement of the anti-flu drug Relenza. The use of the medication, after many tests, was finally approved for human use. Biota Holdings gave funds to its development, and the product was later manufactured by Glaxo Australia. In 2000, the drug was approved for release and today it is used in more than 50 countries. Relenza was the first of a new generation of drugs that acted to prevent the spread of infection from one cell to another within the respiratory tract. COCHLEAR IMPLANT The cochlear implant has helped thousands of people to hear clearly again. When used with a microphone and speech processor, the implant electrically stimulates the auditory nerve and results in the person being able to hear sound. After years of research and improvements, enough funds were raised to make and test a prototype of Professor Graeme Clark’s A ustral ia’ s proud histor y of innovation Aus tra lians have always been grea t inno vators , partic ular ly in the field s of health and biomedical sciences. Dominic Cadden looks at just some of the modern Australian innovations that have had a significant impact on healthcare around the world. The interaction of the anti-influenza drug Relenza™, buried in the active site pocket of influenza virus neuraminidase protein. A u s t r a l i a n i n n o v a t i o n i n h e a l t h c a r e Counting areas of influenza virus growth in cell culture, a technique for assessing efficacy of anti-influenza drug Relenza. Credit: CSIRO Molecular & Health Technologies Credit: CSIRO Molecular & Health Technologies
