Visa centre BLS International issues digital health certificates in Singapore

India-listed visa application centre BLS International has recently partnered with Singaporean tech firm Knowledge Catalyst to issue digital health certificates for passengers travelling to and from Singapore.

Developed by Singapore's Government Technology Agency and Ministry of Health, the health pass called HealthCerts is a set of digital standards and schema for issuing certificates on digital COVID-19 pre-departure test results.

The tamper-proof and traceable health certificates are issued to travellers in the form of a QR code that can be downloaded to mobile phones and presented to authorities for the verification of pre-departure test results before granting cross border travel.

According to BLS International Joint Managing Director Shikhar Aggarwal, the project focuses on providing digital health certificates to travellers going from Singapore to Spain, Italy and India.

LG Electronics integrates VUNO's AI algorithm in its x-ray devices

South Korea-headquartered LG Electronics has unveiled its latest x-ray software that features VUNO's AI algorithm for its Digital X-ray Detector (DXD) line of medical imaging devices.

In a press release, the electronics maker said its DXD products powered by its latest software assist medical staff through swift and automated spotting of abnormalities in chest radiographs, leading to reduced times.

After analysing x-rays, the device then informs providers of any abnormality and provides an abnormality score with a coloured heat map or contour that marks any spotted lesion.

Designed for large hospitals and private clinics, LG Electronics' AI-enabled medical imaging devices are ideal for diagnosing pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or lung cancer.

LG has also debuted a 14x17-inch wireless DXD with an oxide panel that delivers high-resolution, low-dose images. Running on improved software with oxide and a thicker caesium-iodide scintillator, the device provides "greater" detective quantum efficiency, cutting radiation dosage by a half.

"Our improved diagnostic tool will enable medical facilities to reduce incidences of misdiagnosis, provide faster analysis and assist healthcare professionals in detecting thoracic diseases early," Jang Ik-hwan, SVP and IT Business head of LG Electronics, said in a statement.

LG's latest medical imaging devices were first released in North America before launching in key markets in Europe Asia.

Alibaba Health collaborates with Berry Oncology for early cancer detection

Alibaba Health, the healthcare unit of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has teamed up with Berry Oncology of Shenzhen-listed biotechnology firm Berry Genomics to jointly develop a comprehensive cancer screening and prevention ecosystem.

In a statement on Monday, the companies said they will combine their resources to collaborate in areas covering medical products and services, disease prevention, health management services, science education and big data. They will employ an "online-offline integrated health services model" to provide full-course liver cancer solutions for high-risk individuals.

At the core of their joint ecosystem is Berry Oncology's latest early liver cancer screening tool called Lai Si Ning, which runs on HIFI screening technology. Berry Oncology claims its solution can detect liver cancer six to 12 months prior to the onset of the disease and is more accurate compared to traditional methods. The device is available for purchase via the Taobao e-commerce site.

The two companies said they have already started their partnership by offering liver disease patients with Hao Yao Bao, the first hepatopathy medical insurance in China.

Berry Oncology has invested over $31 million in its PreCar Project (Prospective Surveillance for Very Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma), touted as the first and only large-scale study for early-stage liver cancer screening in China based on next-generation sequencing technology.

In February, the project's researchers published an article in the peer-reviewed medical journal Cell Research that demonstrated how HIFI technology can be used at any stage of liver cancer. Two months later, PreCare extended the second phase of its study on HIFI's clinical application to expand its use in other types of cancer.