Seven major medical breakthroughs that shaped 2025

2025 delivered a series of medical advances that could fundamentally change how doctors diagnose disease, relieve pain and save lives.

From brain implants to gene editing, here are seven of the year’s most significant breakthroughs, ABC News reports.

1. ALS patient controls technology using only thoughts

An American man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) became the first person to control an iPad entirely through thought, using an implantable brain-computer interface developed by Synchron. The device, placed through a blood vessel in the brain, translates neural signals into digital commands. Specialists say the technology could eventually help restore movement or speech for patients with severe paralysis, while also raising new ethical and data-privacy questions.

2. First pill for obstructive sleep apnoea shows promise

A once-daily pill for obstructive sleep apnoea moved closer to approval after late-stage trials showed significant reductions in airway obstruction and improved oxygen levels. The drug, AD109, could offer a long-awaited alternative to CPAP machines, which many patients find uncomfortable or difficult to use consistently.

3. First new non-opioid painkiller in decades approved

US regulators approved suzetrigine, marketed as Journavx, the first new non-opioid medication for moderate to severe acute pain in more than 20 years. Clinical trials showed it relieved pain as effectively as weak opioids but without addictive properties, a development welcomed amid ongoing concerns over opioid dependence.

4. Key immune trigger behind pig kidney rejection identified

Scientists made a major step toward solving the organ shortage by identifying why gene-edited pig kidneys are rejected after transplantation into humans. Researchers found a coordinated immune response involving antibodies and T cells and demonstrated that rejection could be detected early and reversed with existing drugs. The findings strengthen hopes that xenotransplantation could become a viable option in the future.

5. First blood test cleared to help diagnose Alzheimer’s

In May, the US Food and Drug Administration cleared the first blood test to aid in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. By measuring specific protein ratios linked to amyloid plaques in the brain, the test offers a quicker, less invasive and cheaper alternative to current diagnostic methods, potentially enabling earlier access to treatment.

6. Groundbreaking transcontinental robotic surgery

Surgeons successfully carried out robotic prostate cancer surgery on a patient in Angola while operating from Florida, more than 7,000 miles away. Approved as part of an FDA clinical trial, the procedure demonstrated how advanced robotic systems could deliver specialist surgical care to remote or underserved regions.

7. First personalised gene fix saves baby’s life

Doctors used a bespoke CRISPR-based gene-editing treatment to save a baby born with a rare and usually fatal metabolic disorder. By correcting the child’s specific genetic mutation, the therapy prevented toxic ammonia buildup in the blood. The case marked a milestone for personalised medicine and the future treatment of rare genetic diseases.

Together, these breakthroughs underline how 2025 pushed medicine closer to more precise, accessible and life-changing care.

By Aghakazim Guliyev