“Progress and Service”, is the mantra that Georgia Tech lives by every day. Innovation is the key to improving, learning and leading. Innovation is constantly occurring, both around Tech’s campus and all over the world. Progress can change lives. Dr. Holton, Senior Director of Stamps Health Services (SHS), sees how developments in medicine change lives every day. When asked what some of the greatest innovations in modern medicine are, Dr. Holton mentioned inventions such as vaccines, chemotherapy, antibiotics, oral contraceptives, cardiovascular advances, insulin and imaging technologies. Find out more about each of these innovations and why Dr. Holton credits them as making huge strides in modern medicine.

Vaccines

“Immunizations have had one of the most profound effects on population health in the last century,” said Dr. Holton. “Vaccines have made diseases that were once commonplace and significant contributors to morbidity so uncommon that many modern physicians have not seen a case in their entire career.” Some of these diseases include measles, tetanus, and rubella. Dr. Holton said, “when I was a resident, we often would worry about epiglottis, a potentially life-threatening infection, in young children presenting to the emergency department with a sore throat. With the introduction of the Hemophilus influenza b vaccine in the early '90s, epiglottis has become exceedingly rare in children.” Dr. Holton concludes by saying, “vaccines have been so successful that we have become more afraid of the cure than the disease.” Students, faculty, and staff have access to different vaccinations at the SHS immunization and travel clinic. For more information about this clinic go to health.gatech.edu/travel.

Chemotherapy

 Chemotherapy (Chemo) is used to kill cancer cells that have spread to parts of the body that are far away from the original tumor. Chemo is often used with the goal of controlling, curing or treating symptoms of cancer. Dr. Holton said, “Chemotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer, significantly improving survival rates from a wide variety of cancers, especially childhood cancers.”

Antibiotics

Dr. Holton said, “the widespread use of antibiotics beginning in the mid-20th century has profoundly altered mortality and morbidity due to infectious diseases.” We can now cure illnesses that were once deadly. Overuse of antibiotics has led to a rise in resistance and a decline in their effectiveness. If we do not become wiser with our use of antibiotics, we may return to a time where we do not have effective treatments for common infections,” warned Dr. Holton. The pharmacy at SHS provides prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) medications to the Georgia Tech community including staff and faculty members. For more information go to health.gatech.edu/pharmacy.

Oral Contraceptives

“The introduction of oral contraceptives in the 1960s gave women a powerful tool for managing their reproductive health,” said Dr. Holton. Oral contraceptives have also helped to improve women’ economic development, educational opportunities, and much more. In addition, studies have shown that birth control enhances children’s well being in the long run, saves money and reduces teen pregnancy. Stamps Health Services is proud to offer a women’s health clinic for students to take advantage of these resources. For more information about this clinic go to health.gatech.edu/women. 

Cardiovascular Advances

“There has been an increasing amount of research into cardiovascular issues and care of cardiovascular illness has advanced significantly, with antihypertensive medications, statins for cholesterol, imaging modalities including cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, and interventions such as thrombolytics and angioplasty, “said Dr. Holton. These advances have significantly improved the management of the most common cause of mortality in the US.

Insulin

According to the American Diabetes Association, insulin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the pancreas. Many people with diabetes are prescribed insulin because either their bodies do not produce the chemical or they do not use it properly. Dr. Holton said that “the development of insulin therapy for diabetes has significantly altered outcomes for patients with diabetes.”

Imaging Technologies

Technological innovations have changed the medical field for the better. “The development of advanced imaging modalities, including computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound, have transformed the way medicine is practiced, improving the timeliness and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment,” remarked Dr. Holton. Illnesses that would have taken many doctors, and many months to detect, can now be seen and treated within one scan.

These innovations have changed lives including the lives of Georgia Tech students. Illnesses have been cured, diseases have been prevented, and what once were medical miracles, have now become commonplace treatments. For more information on SHS and all available services go to health.gatech.edu.