medicine essay

medicine essay

The Impact of Modern Medicine on Society

1. Introduction to Modern Medicine

The impact of effective medical care on the human race at a population level cannot be overemphasized. To have an effective and caring community, the members of such a society should be healthy and free from physical and mental burdens. Otherwise, they will need to spend a majority of their time and resources on medical care. Modern medicine, in particular, pays attention to the tiniest detail that has been documented either in terms of patient signs and symptoms or through research and subsequent scientific evidence. It relies extensively on technology that is available today to confirm the changes that exist at tissue, gene, and molecular levels and maybe even at the metabolic level. The investment made earlier for research in understanding diseases and responses to treatments at a basic scientific level is generously paying off now, and consequently, the emphasis of healthcare has been shifted more invariably on the individuals and on keeping them disease-free as much as possible. This, in turn, has positive consequences on society and nations by reducing the death rate and increasing life expectancy, and by lowering the need for medical care leading to an overall reduction in the cost of treatment to both individuals and people at large. However, there has always been a flip side to any development, no matter how good it is. It is a known fact that any intervention and especially a medical one may also have potential risk and adverse effects. In this study, we will discuss this in more detail. The purpose of this discussion is to open a way for raised public concern and to elaborate and bring available scientific evidence to the forefront.

Ever since the beginning of human existence, whether hunting and gathering for survival or searching for better lives in the new world, humans have always been found to be on the move. The beginning of civilization marked a shift in the lifestyle of humans. With local wealth and international trade, economic and social activities began to thrive; consequently, large cities, which led to the origins of early state institutions, began to rapidly grow. The history of health and medicine in these early civilizations, especially that of ancient Egypt and Greece, provides evidence of various aspects of how medical practice influenced life at a social level through efforts for effective individual and community body care. The effort required to be spent in the procurement of medical care was realized early after the human beings started living together. These developments in the ancient world were mainly due to the emerging civilization.

2. Advancements in Medical Technology

The last 20 years have seen an impressive growth of the healthcare segment of all advanced economies; such impact is understandable in consideration of the steep increase of real resources directed to the health industry. This development has often been achieved through a more advanced and successful management of the public health system and is primarily due to advancements in medical science and to the introduction in the market of pluri-diagnostic and -therapeutic medical technologies. These have been characterized not only by an often very high intrinsic specificity, sensitivity, efficacy, and accuracy of the diagnostic or therapeutic function—allowed by the introduction in the device of advanced micro or mesoscale technology and of complex electronic systems—but also by the feature to provide their medical service as a by-product of the natural medical-care process. These features are often a source of major saving when operating on a complex diagnosis or therapy, despite the very high cost of the device itself and the usually high fixed cost of the medical service.

We need to consider the role of medical technology and the development of new medical treatments, which clearly impact the cost of medical care. Recent progress in modern medicine has allowed doctors to treat and cure more diseases despite complications of old age and multipathology. Nevertheless, new technology may permit new and more advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools, with often cascading and not always predictable effects on the complexity and the cost of therapy. The latter, in turn, demands action to contain cost and to guarantee the financial support of a public health system. This chapter clarifies the relation between the investment in new medical technology and health care and describes how different systems worldwide face the challenge to contain the cost of public health.

3. Ethical Considerations in Medicine

The cardinal principles of medical ethics are generally discussed within the framework of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Physicians have the knowledge, skill, and compassion for the human body, but the power of these functions carries the potential to cause harm, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, as well as physically. Therefore, the physician, in every stage of patient contact, necessarily becomes involved in an act of hierarchy seeking diagnosis, treatment, and recommendation based on the professional’s understanding, empathy, and ethical training. The outcomes of these endeavors will be discussed in years to come, that finesse the journey into life conclusion more calmly, reflective, audacious, or, hopefully, less tormenting. In the development of these goals, there are perennial ethical issues that remain largely unchallenged. It is useful to keep them in mind to improve our potential in humanizing the medical practice. Ethical doctors, nurses, theologians, sociologists, anthropologists, and other enablers with custodial duties remain vigilant and unadorned dose of common sense in the application of moral therapeutic principles common to all, in agreement with Hippocratism, are necessary. Success in these challenging efforts will lead to the augmentation of the dignity of human existence, thus sublimating the concepts of holistic care, which may lend urgent appeal and cogent efficacy to the care of the ill and the dying.

Ethical issues arise in almost every aspect of medical practices and the delivery of healthcare. They are amplified with the development of advanced medical technologies, cost containment, and the importance of disease prevention. Codes of medical ethics have been formulated and revised over the years to stabilize the relationship of the practitioner and patient with law and society. The introduction of sophisticated equipment and advanced prognosis calls for decisions regarding quality of life, with either continuation of “high-tech low-touch” biologic treatment or humane and effective alternatives, which require consideration of a number of ethical concerns. The concept that man has intrinsic ethical values was stressed in Hippocratic writings, which form the basis of medical ethical analysis. These codes fell into disfavor due to continued steamrolling of scientific progress and weakened the inherent humanization of human suffering.

4. Health Disparities and Access to Healthcare

The problem of providing medical care in poor areas is in many ways an instance of the broader redistributive problem. The issue of income distribution is predominant in healthcare. Most people pay bills. Wage rates in the medical industry are decidedly higher than the income for labor in industry generally; medical services provided by institutions tend to command even larger amounts with any discount or “reciprocal” rates paid by users with the income. It is customary in most countries to expend a large fraction of the government’s financial resources in subsidizing healthcare. Such resources are largely derived from direct or indirect uses of a community’s relatively scarce income. In our more realistic interpretation of the economic calculus, this cost is also set against all other potential uses for this income which might underpin the community’s well-being. At this point, it would be worthwhile to consider whether the same set of guidelines should regulate healthcare expenditures in both high-income and low-income societies.

Two additional areas concerning health institutions and policy relate to the issue of subsidized delivery of healthcare to persons of low income in deficient areas and to the problems resulting from the absence of third-party “purchasers” in healthcare. An enormous number of individuals in poor nations, particularly in deprived rural areas, are in acute need of medical service. It cannot be realistically expected, however, that these persons can act to bring about an improved supply of medical care to their areas. By definition, such areas lack the income for supporting a decent level of medical service. Therefore, relying only on such resources as these localities and residents directly control is unlikely to alleviate the deplorable health conditions now existing in many such regions. If the benefits forthcoming from income redistribution itself are any measure, it would seem that healthcare delivery levels are enormously deficient relative to the needs of certain groups.

5. Future Directions in Medicine

7) Functional Analysis of Gene Products – The development of the Human Genome project has allowed a large cDNA collection and has increased the ability to analyze the function of “all” genes. It will be possible to assay the expression of genes to obtain information on normal gene function and patterns of cell dysfunction, and to determine the role of specific genes in disease processes. These advances will provide new strategies for the detection, intervention (both prevention and treatment), and diagnosis of problems associated with these organs. For example, biliary diseases, such as hepatitis, liver cancer, and cirrhosis, cost the United States billions of dollars. Basic research in hepatology or its applications could decrease the necessity and economic impact of liver transplantation.

6) Clinical Strategies for the Management of Chronic Diseases – There are a number of diseases that may be caused by one “defective” gene that can be compensated with your normal gene. It may be possible to develop effective clinical strategies for managing these diseases.

5) Development of Novel Drugs and Immunotherapies – For many human diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders, a number of significant breakthroughs are expected to emerge, using modern molecular biology techniques and technologies.

4) More Complex and Accurate Medical and Biological Diagnosis – With the continued development and refinement of probes, reagents, procedures, and automation systems, medical and biological diagnosis will be more precise and complex.

3) Using Gene Transfer Technologies in Medicine and Agriculture – Gene transfer technologies now allow the introduction of human or animal genes into microorganisms, plants, or animals, or the transfer of useful genes in order to improve traits. These advances offer the possibility of developing innovative medical treatments and therapies, as well as improving crop productivity.

2) Research on Stem Cells – Immortal cells with stem cell potential appear feasible and may provide a potentially unlimited quantity of tissue and organs for transplantation. Furthermore, the use of stem cells in gene therapy may be one of the few ways to introduce an unmutated gene into people suffering from genetic disease.

1) The Human Genome Project (HGP) – This comprehensive study of the genetic structure of humans will yield new genetic understanding of human biology, including gene identification and location mapping, sequencing, and functional analysis. This understanding is expected to have major implications for improving human health and for the development of new strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases.