Twentieth century medicine has seen some of the greatest advances of
all times. Discovery of antibiotics, vaccination,
eradication of many
contagious
diseases, revelation of DNA structure,
transplant surgery
and scanning techniques are some of them. What are the medical challenges and opportunities facing us in the 21st century? Many
vaccines are only in the experimental stage of development for the
treatment of the HIV virus. Cancer is another public health problem
still confronting the medical profession, in spite of much medical
research in the field. The human genome project has many
applications in medicine and biomedical sciences, among them the
mapping of inherited diseases. Recombinant DNA technology has helped
scientists make drugs like insulin, growth hormones and interferon.
There are prospects of many other new drugs being produced by this
technology. Gene therapy has potential uses in single gene hereditary
diseases like haemophilia in the near future. And it may be possible to
treat the ageing process itself… Computers have revolutionised
many aspects of human life, and the impact on medicine is no less.
Applications in medicine include digital imaging, telemedicine and
computer technology for disabled people. Transplant medicine
and surgery is another promising field, especially with regards to the
problem of rejection and storage of donor organs. Immunological
tolerance could be boosted by the introduction of new drugs and / or
gene therapy. A breakthrough is also expected in the regular clinical
treatment of diabetes mellitus. There are other areas as well
in which progress is expected. Such as key hole surgery, laser beam
surgery, scanning techniques, chemotherapy, radio therapy and foetal
medicine. The science fiction of the twentieth century may very well
become the reality of the twenty first century. But a word of
caution, nonetheless. Many of these possibilities (especially gene
therapy, transplant surgery and cloning) have legal, social and ethical
implications. The advances of the coming age should not be abused by
unethical doctors and scientists for financial gain.