Over
the past century, there have been significant advancements in the field of
medicine which have ensured that there is an improvement and extension in the
lives of human beings all over the world. These advancements have ensured that
life expectancy has not only improved, but there is also an opportunity for
medical practitioners to undertake practical measures aimed at ensuring that
diseases and medical conditions that were thought to be untreatable are not
only treated, but also prevented before they develop. Medical advancements have
come about mainly because of the considerable developments when it comes to
biomedicine and robotics, which have a potential of leading to rapid prevention
and treatment of diseases. However, despite the developments in these two
fields, it is important to note that they also pose considerable ethical
problems, and issues that might arise as a result of their practice. In this
paper, there will be an attempt to analyze the importance of biomedicine and
robotics while also considering the potential ethical implications that might
come about as a result.
The
advancements that have been made in biomedicine and robotics have led to a
potential of saving lives more effectively. This is especially the case
considering that a considerable number of people are often in need of
specialized healing and new organs to ensure that their lives are saved.
Through the development of such technologies as 3D printing, a potential for
the development of new organs for people who need them has created a lot of
excitement in the medical field (Ventola 704). This is because a large number
of people are often on the waiting line for organs, with only a few organ
donors available at a time. However, through the use of 3D printing of body
parts, it is possible that individuals might end up being able to get organ
replacements at a much faster rate than is currently the case. Therefore, the
continued research into this technology could go a long way towards enhancing
human life and saving those individuals that were previously considered a lost
cause. Furthermore, through the use of 3D printing technology, it will be
possible to ensure that there is the creation of means to reduce the medical
costs of patients; allowing for a reduction of overall public healthcare costs.
Another
important advancement in biomedicine is the development of cloning. Cloning,
unlike 3D printing of organs, is one of the most controversial developments
when it comes to biomedicine. This is because its potential practice raises a
considerable number of ethical issues that are unlikely to be effectively
addressed. Among the advantages of cloning technology is that it has the
potential of ensuring that it brings about the development of organs and other
parts of the body that are specially tailored for the individuals that need
them. Therefore, the creation of clones through the use of the cells of an
individual could help this individual have an unlimited source of organ
replacements that could ensure an extension of his life (Macklin 76). However,
one of the biggest concerns about this practice is that it leads to the
creation and destruction of life. Clones, despite their artificial origins,
raise an ethical concern because once they come to life; they will be
considered human beings, with the same rights as any other person in society.
Under such circumstances, it would be unethical to simply harvest body parts
from them without considering their feelings in a bid to enhance the life of
their parent. Clones, despite their origins, are different individuals from
their parents, and this means that since they are human beings, they have to be
treated as such. The use of clones for medical purposes rather than as a means
of creating children for individuals who cannot give birth to their own is
unethical and should not be considered when it comes to human beings.
Stem
cell research, which is one of the most important developments in biomedicine,
is another controversial ethical issue. This is because while it has been tried
out in animals, its use in human beings is considered to be unethical. One of
the reasons behind this stance is that it involves harvesting stem cells from
fetuses and embryonic cells, the latter which are considered to be essentially
human beings (Munsie and Hyun). Religious and human rights groups have raised
this concern and have pointed out that undertaking the harvesting of stem cells
from human beings could be an equivalent of opening a Pandora’s Box because it
could unleash the uncontrolled harvesting of cells from fellow human beings in
their early stage of development in the name of advancing the treatment of
others. A consequence is that even though stem cell research has the potential
of leading to advances in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease among other
debilitating diseases and medical conditions; it cannot be used without strict
regulations to the practice. These regulations have to cover such sensitive
issues as the killing of human beings in their early stage of development, as
well as the need to define exactly at what stage is an individual to be
considered a human being.
In
the medical field, robotics has a potential of playing an essential part in
helping to improve the lives of individuals. The development of robotic parts
to replace those parts of the body that have been lost or amputated is an
important role that this technology can play (Stahl and Coeckelbergh). In
recent years, there have been important developments in medical robotics, as
seen where individuals are provided with robotic replacements for those limbs
that they have lost either because of accidents or during amputations. The
result has been that robotic has come to be seen as an important means of
helping in advancing the lives of individuals that would otherwise have had the
quality of their lives significantly reduced. Robotics is an essential aspect
of making sure that there is the creation of powerful means to bring about the
development of medical practices that not only improve the lives of
individuals, but allow for the advancement of technologies aimed at helping
individuals achieve their highest potential.
Among
the biggest developments in robotics is nanomedicine, which has the potential
of being used to fight diseases in the body more effectively. Nanomedicine is
essential in the development of means through which to ensure that the body is
kept under constant surveillance so that when diseases come up, they can be
effectively defeated before they overwhelm the body (Kazemi, Majidinia, and
Jamali 1). In addition, this technology also has the potential of being used to
ensure that preventative measures are taken against diseases so that even
potentially terminal ones can be prevented from developing (Resnik and Tinkle).
However, one of the most significant ethical issues that arise in this
situation is whether the injection of robotic technology in the human body
could potentially open the way for malicious individuals to have access to
private information of individuals that use the technology. It is therefore
essential that as nanomedicine is adopted, strict regulations and guidelines
are put in place in order to prevent its abuse for malignant purposes.
In conclusion, biomedicine and robotic have and will continue to have a positive impact on the health. Their potential for ensuring that there is the advancement of the interests of patients is essential in making sure that there is the development of strict regulations aimed at building up responsible use among medical practitioners. The observance of ethics should be the guiding force behind the developments made in biomedicine and robotics because it will ensure that there is the advancement of these aspects of medicine in a manner that is acceptable to most, if not all, members of society.
