Robotics and Biomedicine

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.