PillCam and ReWalk illustrate two different Israeli-linked medical technologies. PillCam is a swallowable capsule imaging system used to visualize the gastrointestinal tract. ReWalk is a powered exoskeleton designed to assist walking for people with spinal cord injury under defined conditions. Neither device replaces every existing procedure or treatment.
PillCam images the digestive tract
Given Imaging, based in Yokneam, Israel, developed the PillCam system and is now part of Medtronic. A patient swallows the capsule, which captures images as it passes through the digestive tract. It is especially useful for examining the small bowel, an area conventional upper endoscopy and colonoscopy may not fully reach. Capsule endoscopy is not a general substitute for either procedure; clinicians select examinations according to the diagnostic question.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists a 2023 substantial-equivalence decision for the PillCam SB 3 system, submitted by Given Imaging Ltd. That record identifies a particular device and decision, not suitability for every patient or diagnostic purpose.
ReWalk supports selected walking functions
ReWalk uses a powered wearable frame to assist standing and walking. The FDA granted De Novo classification for the ReWalk powered exoskeleton in June 2014. The clearance covered a specified device and indication. It does not make ReWalk a standard treatment for all people with spinal cord injury; use requires clinical assessment, fitting, and training.
Regulatory clearance applies to an intended use. It is not a promise of a particular outcome for every user. Device selection remains a clinical decision based on the individual’s condition.
See the FDA records for PillCam SB 3 and ReWalk’s De Novo classification, and the Ministry of Health’s health technology information.