Implants Ready To Replace Pills And Prescriptions
PC Pro|April 2017

Tiny computers can take control of our nervous system with remarkable results, finds Alex Reis.

Alex Reis
Implants Ready To Replace Pills And Prescriptions

Imagine visiting your doctor and, instead of leaving with a prescription, you come out with a small device implanted in your body and a new app on your phone. No more worrying about what time you must take a pill – all you need do is let technology take its course.

As implausible as it sounds, this day may not be too far away.

This is the promise of bioelectronic medicine – a field where our nervous system is treated like a hackable, electrical infrastructure. It’s an area of study that asks: what if, instead of using drugs to treat a condition, implants could control and tweak our bodies? What if, somewhere down the line, you could combat a tumour by harnessing your own neural signals?

HACKING THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

For Kevin Tracey, based at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York and one of the pioneers in this field, it all started with a desire to understand inflammation. For years, his team studied why the body reacts so dramatically to inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, and why these diseases are so difficult to treat.

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, for example, current treatments typically involve prescription drugs to block the production of a protein called tumour necrosis factor (TNF), which the body generates excessive amounts of in cases of inflammation. However, there are many problems with blocking TNF – not least the high price of treatment and potentially life-threatening side effects.

This story is from the April 2017 edition of PC Pro.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 2017 edition of PC Pro.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PC PROView All
Robobutlers may never happen, but robot care workers are on their way
PC Pro

Robobutlers may never happen, but robot care workers are on their way

Do you hate loading the dishwasher enough to pay someone to do it remotely? Nicole Kobie wonders about the weird future of home robots

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2023
Technical debt
PC Pro

Technical debt

Cutting corners now means more work down the road - but Steve Cassidy asks whether that's always a bad thing

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2023
Zyxel ZyWALL ATP500
PC Pro

Zyxel ZyWALL ATP500

Zyxel delivers tough gateway security and advanced threat protection at a very appealing price

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2023
CREATIVE WORKSTATIONS
PC Pro

CREATIVE WORKSTATIONS

Intel and AMD both offer compelling CPU choices for workstations, giving us ten machines with the widest variety of specifications we've seen for years

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2023
ANDROID PHONES FROM £219
PC Pro

ANDROID PHONES FROM £219

As this roundup of four affordable contenders shows, there's no need to spend a fortune on a phone

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2023
Amazon Echo Pop
PC Pro

Amazon Echo Pop

If you want a compact Alexa smart speaker, the Pop is now the cheapest choice - but what does it really add?

time-read
2 mins  |
Summer 2023
Getac X600
PC Pro

Getac X600

A powerful alternative to the Panasonic Toughbook 40, with the bonus of optional Nvidia graphics

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2023
Amazon Fire Max 11
PC Pro

Amazon Fire Max 11

With its 2K screen and sleek design, this is Amazon's best tablet yet-but FireOS remains a hindrance

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2023
Google Pixel Fold
PC Pro

Google Pixel Fold

The Pixel Fold delivers with a thin and durable design, a wide front display, smart software and great cameras

time-read
7 mins  |
Summer 2023
Welcome to the Fediverse
PC Pro

Welcome to the Fediverse

Have commercial social networks had their day? Darien Graham-Smith looks at the free, community-run apps that could usurp Twitter, Reddit and the Meta empire

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2023