The Innovation Parade! MOPH to showcase “cutting-edge medical innovations” at the APEC Health Week, highlighting the high-accuracy COVID-19 Breath Analyzer

         Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health will showcase the latest “medical innovations”at the APEC Health Week meetings such as the non-invasive COVID-19 breath analyzer enabling the users to test with high accuracy and within 5 minutes; G-Breath, the breath analyzer for diabetes; the facilitating system for doctor and nurse note integrated with speech recognition for Thai medical transcription; cannabis cosmeceutical innovation. The exhibition will highlight accessibility and innovative solutions for medical care services as well as an array of opportunity for commercial production.

          Dr. Somsak Akksilp, Director-General of Department of Medical Services, said that at the APEC Health Week meetings between 22-26 August 2562 at Millennium Hilton Bangkok under the theme of “Open to Partnership. Connect with the World. Balance Health and the Economy”, the Department will organize the medical innovation exhibition to showcase medical innovations that can meet relevant standards; make modern life possible; benefit both medical care users and providers; align with national policies; and address the needs of the public, particularly in post COVID-19 health and economic recovery. One of the exhibiting innovations is the Volatile Exhaled Breath Analysis (VEBA) for COVID-19 developed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sathit Niramitmahapanya, Rajavithi Hospital and Dr. Tiersidh Nasomphan, Mahidol University. The testing procedure will not be harmful for it does not require inserting a tool into patient’s nose or obtain patient’s saliva. VEBA can differentiate breath odors of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Its high sensitivity and specificity allow healthcare providers to get the test result in 5 minutes which helps expediting screening process, providing a timely treatment, and preventing the spread of CVID-19. The test costs only 10 baht per person.

          Dr. Somsak further explained that apart from their VEBA, the same developers will also present their G-Breath, the breath analyzer for diabetes of which its sensor will detect and analyze 4 types of exhaled gas -- acetone, ethanol, carbon dioxide, and methyl nitrate. These four biomarkers can confirm diabetes with greater than 99% accuracy.   

          The exhibition will also feature other medical innovations -- 3D printing for medical treatment developed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Methee Wongsirisuwan and Dr. Pat Chulasiri from Rajavithi Hospital enabling higher precision of operations or radiotherapy for cancer treatment, model development for teaching and simulation training on treatment of rare diseases such as some heart disease, cutting guide for oral cancer, cranioplasty, and custom splinting; application of artificial intelligence (AI) in coronary disease diagnosis developed by Nuclear Medicine Department of Rajavithi Hospital in collaboration with King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang; the facilitating system for doctor and nurse note integrated with speech recognition for Thai medical transcription developed by Dr. Sitthi Chaowchuen of Udonthani Cancer Hospital that helps healthcare providers prescribe faster, reduce workload and cost of services; cannabis cosmeceutical innovation initiated by the Institute of Dermatology as guided by the medical cannabis policy, the products such as Nano-CBD soap, moisturizer, acne gel, hair serum, and pain relief spray with massage demonstration will be available at the exhibition booth.

          “These are our outstanding innovations that the Department of Medical Services has developed to address existing challenges in our workplace and service provision. With these technologies, we are determined to offer new and more effective medical care services to our people. This effort can also help reduce import dependence and continue for further research and development for commercial production. That is the reasons why they will be presented at the APEC Health Week Meetings where they can showcase Thailand’s capacities and promote knowledge exchange among APEC Member Economies”, said Dr. Somsak.

****************************************** 19 August 2022

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