[HN Gopher] Low-cost, portable device can detect colorectal and ...
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       Low-cost, portable device can detect colorectal and prostate cancer
       in an hour
        
       Author : PaulHoule
       Score  : 42 points
       Date   : 2024-11-01 21:02 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (medicalxpress.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (medicalxpress.com)
        
       | freitasm wrote:
       | > "The device that Li's team created is microfluidic, which means
       | that it can perform multiple functions using very small amounts
       | of fluids. The device uses an innovative "paper-in-polymer-pond"
       | structure, in which patient blood samples are introduced into
       | tiny wells and onto a special kind of paper."
       | 
       | Where else did I read "microfluidic"?
       | 
       | Oh, that's right. Theranos.
       | 
       | Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, folks.
        
         | cyberax wrote:
         | ???
         | 
         | Microfluidic chemistry is a mainstream thing. It's used for all
         | kinds of processes, even in large-scale drug manufacturing to
         | replace batch processes.
        
           | freitasm wrote:
           | I did not imply this.
           | 
           | I believe this needs to be tested by other parties, results
           | checked, etc. Like science.
           | 
           | Because claims like this ("diagnose," "small drops," "quick")
           | were made before, people ended up in jail for the tactics
           | used trying to protect the lies when they couldn't make it
           | work.
        
             | cyberax wrote:
             | Sure, but they're not claiming to analyze everything.
             | Cancer marker detection is an active field, and it often
             | involves checking for the levels of several proteins/RNA
             | fragments.
             | 
             | What they did, they found a material that allows them to
             | microfluidize the processes.
        
             | bawolff wrote:
             | Sure same as any medical device.
             | 
             | But siezing on the word "microfluidics" because theranos
             | used it, makes about as much sense as seizing on the word
             | "chemistry" and saying theranos also claimed to use
             | chemistry.
        
         | d4mi3n wrote:
         | Microfluidics were also key to creating the first line of COVID
         | vaccines. They were also why it was hard to scale up production
         | --turns out machines than can perform microfluidic chemistry
         | aren't mass produced and take time to make.
        
         | Etheryte wrote:
         | Microfluidics have been widely used since the 80s, this is like
         | saying a company is a scam just because their sales pitch
         | includes the phrase machine learning.
        
           | readyplayernull wrote:
           | Actually the whole history of AI have experienced several
           | hype cycles, with huge and expensive failed projects:
           | 
           | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_winter
        
       | nachoab wrote:
       | Theranos definitely made us cautious but not every new tech needs
       | to be Theranos 2.0. Microfluidics is legit and widely used,
       | sometimes skepticism just means asking the right questions not
       | shutting every door.
        
         | bawolff wrote:
         | In this case i imagine skepticism just means buying some
         | devices and getting an independent lab to run a blind test.
        
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       (page generated 2024-11-01 23:00 UTC)