Human health and medicine

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, marketed as Spikevax, is a messenger RNA vaccine against COVID-19 developed by Moderna and NIAID, authorized in the United States in December 2020.

Modes of mechanical ventilation

Modes of mechanical ventilation, also called vent modes such as assist control, SIMV, pressure support, and PRVC, are predetermined ventilatory patterns defining how a ventilator triggers, delivers, and ends breaths, classified by control variable and breath sequence.

MODEST study

MODEST (NCT06077305) is a 20,000-patient observational registry by Beijing Tiantan Hospital studying microcirculatory disorders in cerebral small vessel disease and ischemic stroke, with outcomes on recurrence, mRS disability, cognition, and real-world drug treatment.

Modified Ashworth scale

The Modified Ashworth scale is a six-grade ordinal scale rating resistance felt during passive limb movement, the most widely used clinical measure of increased muscle tone.

Modified barium swallow

The modified barium swallow (MBS) is a videofluoroscopic swallowing study in which a patient swallows barium-containing foods and liquids while real-time X-ray imaging assesses swallowing function, primarily to diagnose oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Modified radical mastectomy

A modified radical mastectomy (MRM) is a breast cancer operation that removes the entire breast and axillary lymph nodes while preserving the pectoralis major, introduced by Patey and Dyson in 1948.

Modified radical neck dissection

Modified radical neck dissection (MRND) is surgery for head and neck cancer that removes cervical lymph nodes levels I through V while preserving structures like the spinal accessory nerve.

Modified Rankin Scale

Modified Rankin Scale (mRS): 7-point ordinal stroke disability scale, 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (death), developed by John Rankin in 1957 and modified for the UK-TIA trial; primary endpoint in most acute stroke trials.

Modified-release dosage

Modified-release dosage: drug formulations (delayed-release, extended-release, sustained-release) that alter release rate or site versus immediate-release; Spansule 1952; mechanisms, bioequivalence rules, opioid and metformin evidence.

MODIFY I trial

MODIFY I (NCT01241552) was a Merck phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of bezlotoxumab, actoxumab, and their combination alongside antibiotics; bezlotoxumab cut 12-week CDI recurrence from 28% to 17%.

MODIFY II trial

MODIFY II (NCT01513239), a Merck-funded phase 3 trial alongside MODIFY I, tested single-dose bezlotoxumab 10 mg/kg against placebo for preventing recurrent C. difficile infection; recurrence fell from 26% to 16% at 12 weeks.

Oct 20, 2026

Modotuximab

Modotuximab (zatuximab, 1024 DS), an investigational IgG1 monoclonal antibody against EGFR that induces receptor internalization and degradation; used clinically as the Sym004 futuximab/modotuximab mixture in phase 3 colorectal cancer trials, not approved.

Modular pancreatosplenectomy

Modular pancreatosplenectomy, best known as radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS), removes the distal pancreas, spleen, and lymph nodes en bloc for pancreatic body and tail cancer, reported by Strasberg in 2003.

Moebius syndrome

Moebius syndrome (Möbius syndrome), a rare congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder with nonprogressive facial weakness and limited eye abduction, sporadic in most cases, no unifying genetic cause, managed supportively by multidisciplinary care.

Moexipril

Moexipril (Univasc) is an oral non-sulfhydryl ACE inhibitor prodrug hydrolyzed to moexiprilat, approved in the US in 1995 for hypertension as 7.5 or 15 mg once-daily tablets, alone or with hydrochlorothiazide.

Oct 22, 2026

MOF-based drug delivery (MIL-100 Fe, MIL-127)

MOF-based drug delivery with MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-127 uses porous iron carboxylate metal-organic frameworks as drug carriers with high loading capacity, controlled release, and good biocompatibility.

Mofezolac

Mofezolac (Disopain, N-22) is a diarylisoxazole NSAID and selective, time-dependent COX-1 inhibitor (IC50 0.0079 μM) marketed in Japan since 1994 for lumbago, cervicobrachial syndrome, and post-operative or post-extraction pain.

Moffitt Cancer Center

Moffitt Cancer Center (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute) is a free-standing NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, opened in 1986, comprehensive since 2001, and the only such center based in Florida.

Mogamulizumab

Mogamulizumab (brand name Poteligeo) is a humanized monoclonal antibody against CCR4 used to treat T-cell malignancies, discovered by Kyowa Hakko Kirin and first approved in Japan in 2012.

MOHO trial

MOHO trial (NCT07677644), a completed quasi-experimental study in Chennai, India, testing a 12-week Model of Human Occupation occupational therapy program in 12 mentally ill offenders; life skills improved (p=.006) but WHOQOL-BREF quality of life did not change significantly.

Oct 20, 2026

Mohr-Tranebjaerg syndrome

Mohr-Tranebjaerg syndrome (DDON, deafness-dystonia-optic neuronopathy) is a rare X-linked recessive TIMM8A disorder: childhood deafness, adolescent dystonia or ataxia, adult visual loss, dementia; BTK deletions add XLA (XLA-MTS).

Mohs surgery

Mohs surgery, or Mohs micrographic surgery, is a skin cancer removal technique developed by Frederic Mohs in the 1930s, using layer-by-layer excision with 100 percent microscopic margin control, cure rates up to 99 percent, and maximal tissue sparing.

Mohsin Wali

Mohsin Wali (born 1953, Bijnor) is an Indian physician and Padma Shri (2007) cardiologist, personal physician to Presidents Venkataraman, Sharma, and Mukherjee, geriatric medicine pioneer, and senior consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.

Moire Topography

Moire topography (Moiré topography, shadow and projection moiré) is a radiation-free optical 3D morphometry method using interference fringes, used since 1970 mainly for scoliosis screening; moderate evidence supports reliability but not superiority over radiography.

Molar (tooth)

Molar, the multi-cusped posterior grinding tooth (third molar = wisdom tooth). Humans have 12 permanent molars, typically three-rooted with 4–5 cusps; first molars erupt at 6–7 years, third at 17–21, and are prime targets for fissure sealants.

Molar pregnancy

Molar pregnancy (hydatidiform mole) is an abnormal conception where placental tissue grows into a noncancerous tumor; complete moles lack an embryo, partial moles have 69 chromosomes, and hCG follow-up guards against gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.