Modern medicine
22 modern medical technologies — from genomics and cell and immune therapies to devices, robotic surgery and AI — each with a five-level maturity rating, official sources and the date its status was last checked.
- In widespread clinical use4
- Approved for specific uses18
- In clinical trials0
- Preclinical0
- Concept0
Genes, cells and biological therapies
- Genome sequencing and genetic testing A genetic test looks for changes in genes, chromosomes or proteins; more than 77,000 genetic tests are in use. Whole genome sequencing reads the order of every DNA “letter” and is increasingly used in healthcare and research.Approved for specific uses
- Precision medicine Precision medicine tailors prevention, diagnosis and treatment to features of the person or the disease — for example testing a tumour for biomarkers to choose treatment. It is routine for some cancers but not yet part of routine care for most patients.Approved for specific uses
- Pharmacogenomics Pharmacogenomics studies how genes affect a person’s response to medicines — why a drug helps some people, does nothing for others or causes side effects. Testing is used in clinical care for some medicines and conditions.Approved for specific uses
- Liquid biopsy A liquid biopsy looks in blood or other body fluids for biomarkers shed by cancer cells, instead of taking a piece of the tumour. Some tests are FDA-approved for specific uses, such as guiding treatment for certain cancers and a blood test for colorectal cancer screening.Approved for specific uses
- Gene therapy Gene therapy modifies a person’s genes to treat or cure disease. It is approved today for a small number of conditions — including an inherited eye disorder, spinal muscular atrophy and sickle cell disease — and is being studied for others.Approved for specific uses
- Genome editing (CRISPR) Genome editing lets scientists change DNA; its tools act like scissors that cut DNA at a specific spot. In December 2023 the FDA approved the first CRISPR-based therapy, for sickle cell disease, later extending it to transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia and to children aged 2 and older.Approved for specific uses
- CAR T-cell therapy In CAR T-cell therapy, a patient’s own T cells are collected, engineered in the lab to make a receptor that helps them find cancer cells, and returned. The FDA approved the first one in 2017; all approved CAR T therapies so far are for blood cancers.Approved for specific uses
- Cancer immunotherapy Immunotherapy helps the immune system fight cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors block an “off” signal sent to immune T cells so they can attack cancer cells. It is approved for many cancer types, but only a portion of patients respond.Approved for specific uses
- Monoclonal antibodies Monoclonal antibodies are immune-system proteins made in the lab that recognise specific targets. More than 80 therapeutic monoclonal antibodies had been approved in the United States by 2022, used in cancer, autoimmune diseases, infections and many other conditions.In widespread clinical use
- Stem cell therapies Stem cells can become many types of cells. Their approved medical use today is mainly blood-forming stem cell transplants for blood cancers and some blood disorders. The FDA warns about unapproved “stem cell” products marketed for other conditions, which have caused harms including blindness, tumours and infections.Approved for specific uses
- mRNA technology Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries instructions to make a protein. mRNA vaccines use lab-made mRNA to teach our cells to make a protein piece so the immune system learns to recognise it. The FDA approved the first such vaccine in 2021 and another in 2024.Approved for specific uses
- Tissue engineering Tissue engineering combines scaffolds, cells and biologically active molecules into functioning tissue. FDA-approved examples include artificial skin and cartilage, but the field still plays a relatively small role in patient care, and whole organs remain far off.Approved for specific uses
Devices and surgery
- Robotically-assisted surgery In robotically-assisted surgery the surgeon sits at a computer station and directs robotic arms. The device is not truly a robot, because it cannot operate without direct human control. The FDA has cleared it for specific laparoscopic procedures in several surgical specialties.Approved for specific uses
- 3D printing of medical devices 3D printing builds a three-dimensional object from successive layers of raw material. Commercially available 3D-printed medical devices include orthopaedic and cranial implants, surgical instruments, dental crowns, external prosthetics and devices matched to a patient’s anatomy.Approved for specific uses
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement Transcatheter aortic valve replacement treats aortic stenosis by placing a replacement valve made from animal tissue inside the old valve through a catheter, without open-heart surgery. The FDA first approved a device in 2011 and expanded use to low-surgical-risk patients in 2019.Approved for specific uses
- Deep brain stimulation and neurostimulation Deep brain stimulation treats symptoms of some movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and dystonia, and is also used for epilepsy. Leads in the brain are connected to a battery that sends electrical pulses. The FDA first approved it in 1997; it is not a cure.Approved for specific uses
- Cochlear implants A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that can provide a sense of sound to people who are deaf or severely hard of hearing, by bypassing damaged parts of the ear and stimulating the hearing nerve directly. The FDA first approved them in the mid-1980s; about 736,900 registered devices had been implanted worldwide by December 2019.In widespread clinical use
Diabetes technology, monitoring and remote care
- Continuous glucose monitoring Continuous glucose monitoring uses a device that automatically estimates glucose every few minutes through a sensor reading the fluid between cells. Doctors prescribe CGMs for adults and children, and in 2024 the FDA cleared the first over-the-counter CGM for adults who do not use insulin.In widespread clinical use
- Artificial pancreas (automated insulin delivery) An artificial pancreas is a three-part system that mimics how a healthy pancreas controls blood glucose: a continuous glucose monitor, a program that calculates insulin needs, and an insulin pump. It is mainly used for type 1 diabetes; the FDA approved a hybrid system in 2016.Approved for specific uses
- Wearables and remote monitoring Wearables such as smartwatches carry sensors that track and transmit data such as heart rate. They are often used to monitor and self-manage chronic conditions, and range from general-wellness gadgets to FDA-regulated medical devices.Approved for specific uses
- Telehealth Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — lets you see your health care provider by phone or video without going to their office. Many conditions can be handled this way, but it is not right for everyone or every condition.In widespread clinical use
AI in medicine
A dedicated page separating tools that support clinicians from systems that try to replace them, covering imaging, decision support, drug development and the limits of risk prediction.
The maturity level describes a technology’s general status according to the cited sources on the date checked; it does not mean it suits you or is available where you live. Your doctor decides what fits each case.