Health Innovation Roundup

The Health Innovation Roundup, sponsored by Health Cities, is written and published weekly by Taproot Edmonton to bring you the latest news and events in research, technology, companies and people changing health for the better in Edmonton.

Sign up to get the full edition delivered directly to your inbox. Use the code HEALTHCITY & you’ll get 10% off the first year.

Here are some highlights from this week’s Health Innovation Roundup:

Headlines

• McKesson Canada opened a $175-million pharmaceutical distribution centre in northwest Edmonton on July 19. “This is the main distribution centre for pretty much all of western Canada, and it’s an important step forward as we are building a bigger pharmaceutical and life sciences industry in Alberta,” said Premier Jason Kenney, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for more domestic production of pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
• True Angle Medical announced that its patent for double-sided e-textile sensor printing was granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• Episode 8 of True Angle’s podcast, Enjoy the Life You’re Living, features a conversation between CEO Jana Rieger and fellow founder Rachel Bartholomew of Hyivy Health, which addresses pelvic health problems.
• The Health Innovation Hub’s newsletter includes a Q&A with Sushmitha Thirumalaivasan, business development manager at InstaSerum. She noted that it takes years to get new services or technologies adopted in health, so “it’s important to provide innovators with the right resources to overcome the barriers faced in the healthcare innovation space.”
• The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital demonstrated how brain-computer interface technology allows pediatric patients to make art. BCI allows users who may be non-verbal to convert thoughts into commands. “This technology is showing us just how smart these kids are,” said occupational therapist Corinne Tuck. “The application we are using here is just the tip of the iceberg; BCI is one type of neuroadaptive technology whose potential we are only beginning to understand.”
• Columnist Nick Lees is looking to raise $250,000 for the University Hospital Foundation through his 80th birthday party. The money is to purchase a small bowel double-balloon endoscope system, as well as other cancer-fighting equipment.

Events

• July 20-24: C-Tribe Conference
• July 21, 6pm: TNT Happy Hour from Startup
• July 27, 10:30am: Monthly Community Coffee at Startup Edmonton
• July 29-Aug. 1: natHACKS 2022 by NeurAlbertaTech
• Aug. 18: Great Prairies Pitch Marathon

Have a suggestion for a future edition? Send it to hello@taprootedmonton.ca for consideration.

Become a “Roundup Cultivator” and sponsor Taproot Edmonton to help them chronicle health innovation in Edmonton. Learn more