Abbott to debut bevvy of new innovations at CIIE

Chicago-based healthcare company Abbott announced on Tuesday that it will exhibit dozens of innovative healthcare solutions, including more than 10 that will be making their China debut, at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10.

Major exhibits will include the world's first Bluetooth-enabled implantable cardioverter defibrillator that is compatible with the 3T MRI environment, the company said during its Tech Day 2021, a warm-up event that offered a preview of CIIE exhibits, in Shanghai.

According to the company, the implantable cardioverter defibrillator will allow patients, physicians and caretakers to be connected through a mobile app and access data from implanted products at any time. The device also allows continuous monitoring that enhances patient safety and helps reduce the need for follow-up visits to the doctor.

After exhibiting a fingerstick-free glucose monitoring system called Freestyle Libre at last year's CIIE, Abbott will display a relevant smart app, the latest digital tool of the FreeStyle Libre series, at the upcoming CIIE.

The app can not only help diabetes patients monitor their real-time glucose levels but also share the data with their families and medical professionals through cloud technology. The app enables multiple caretakers to manage a patient simultaneously, and allows caregivers to monitor multiple patients at the same time, said the company.

An innovative lab automation system, which was unveiled in February in China, will also be highlighted during the CIIE. The system, which is capable of multi-floor transportation, breaks barriers between departments and floors and allows medical workers to obtain testing results faster, thus significantly improving the efficiency of lab testing.

"Thanks to the spill-over effect of the CIIE, the GLP system, which was showcased at the CIIE last year, attracted attention from different sides and many hospitals showed interest," said Tony Chan, vice-president of Abbott's core diagnostics business.

"Some medical institutions, including several in Shanghai and Jinan, Shandong province, have already been equipped with the system to provide personalized total lab solutions."