I am going to forego the elocution here and instead try to communicate to you one of those theories that crop up in your imagination when you let your mind wander...
Like many of you out there I have a keen fascination regarding medical developments and one thing in particular - the development of organ transplants. I suppose in part it is the way like machines, or for this example cars, if we get a damaged part - say a faulty head gasket, - we simply go out and get a replacement. Now I know that this is a gross oversimplification in regards to the medical field - it is not as though we can just head down to our local scrap dealer and pick up parts such as organs or limbs as needs be (yet!) but is this not a distinct possibility in regards to the future?
Before you call the authorities to get me carted away please let me explain myself!
Whilst some may think that this may be an eccentric rambling (which it may well be!), an early sign of psychosis, or a vision of someone living in his own little universe - I do believe that this is not as absurd as it may seem at first appearance.
If you were to tell someone 100 years ago that one day you might be able to transplant essential organs, grow organs, or even clone... chances are you would be greeted with at best a certain degree of skepticism if not total contempt! If we look at the medical development over the years there have been profound advances in the entire field ranging from drugs, therapies and of course transplants.
In 1529 a French surgeon "discovered the use of ligation in which a thread-like or wire material is used to tie off, or constrict blood vessels" (Amputation-History). In 1902 blood vessels were successfully tied together. While admittedly these are set apart by quite some time difference, since this point, developments in the medical field - specifically the surgical area - have come about incredibly rapidly almost to the point of exponentially. (Transplant Milestones) That, truth be told, may be a slight exaggeration I concede but nonetheless growth in development here has been undeniably rapid. Presently, 107 years later, advancing from amputation, it is possible to reattach severed limbs or appendages - even going as far as using parts of donors as transplant material such as hands. In 2006 the first double hand transplant was completed and since then more of these prcedures have successfully taken place.
Now this is not going to be a history lesson but rather I'm just laying out the foundations, mostly so you don't read this and think I have lost the plot (entirely). What I am trying here to show is that despite present limitations, these will no doubt be overcome in due time - a number of medical events seemingly inconceivable at one point in time have nonetheless come to fruition.
Aside from the history of transplants, more importantly (arguably) are the current developments which are paving the way to the future of medical practice. We currently have a growing list of possible transplants from deceased or living donors due in a large part to our understanding of the genome, blood as well as protein coatings (allowing to find matches that will be accepted by the recipient - which if not can on occasions be countered by a cocktail of anti-rejection - immunosuppressant - drugs).
As a quick note, a simple explanation of the importance of protein coating is that our immune system reacts specifically to the protein chains detected - hence how it identifies foreign organisms potentially including transplant material.
Recently there has been speculation that following a number of tests, that a womb transplant may not be far into the future. Even considering that this is still early stages before an actual procedure on a human would take place, our understanding of science is allowing doors to be opened that we never even saw were there. But where to next? An obvious answer would be allowing for a larger 'catalogue' of organs, limbs and appendages. What about organ synthesis?
There is of course the development of growing organs for their sole use of transplants. While this is already in existence to an extent - looking at the way in which medical technology is developing, it is not completely ludicrous to suggest that with further development of growth inducing hormones or other alternatives that promote cellular growth one day we could stock organs ready for transplant. Where this now seems to transcend into the realm of the fantastic. The world of artificial organs.
There have of course been countless examples of artificial limbs and prosthetics which are ever advancing, but regarding organs - despite the fact that they already exist (for example dialysis machines) - it seems like science fiction. We have already for sometime had artificial replacements for bones, joints or limbs which are in continuously development. As for dialysis machines, despite their general 'temporary' uses and concerns of immobility, they nonetheless essentially carry out the function of your kidneys. Other artificial organs exist in the examples of artificial lungs (ventilators) and life support machines though these are hardly practical for day to day use. What I mean to say when speaking of artificial organs is a replacement which has practical uses. One example of such developments is the realisation of the artificial heart. As it happens there have been a number of prototypes for this and some 'success' with these models though at best they currently have limited life spans. Furthermore there have been experimental programs to create artificial sight to those blind from birth through direct implants into the outer surface of the brain. This is however still in early developmental stages and has currently yet to make its miracle breakthrough though has shown some progress (allowing the detection of light and dark). Nonetheless is this not a step towards the 'bionic' individual? What of the future of this? Is it not conceivable to eventually live in a world with practical artificial replacements for kidneys, for hearts, for lungs?
And here we move deeper into the abyss of the fantastic or simply perhaps profoundly absurd. Considering the above and focusing also on the rate of development, what does the future hold? Perhaps a movement away from 'traditional' organ transplant and focusing more on synthesised organs or artificial organs. In regards to synthesised organs and the potential to grow them fast enough to stock with the additional aim of creating them in different protein coatings to cater for different recipients... coupled with our increasing understanding of genes - could we not create organs such as hearts which are resistant to allowing cholesterol to accumulate therefore creating a heart-attack resistant heart? More efficient livers or lungs? Supposing this was one day possible, the next leap would be considering that why get a transplant for a failing organ instead of just getting a replacement as a preventative measure? Further leaving reality... would this not open up a new market for organs? Perhaps designer organs? Get yourself a new tailor made set of lungs or an artificial arm for better manual work or sports? How about an artificial eye that can work in the dark? Of course this seems surreal if not flat-out crazy. I am not suggesting that these musings could come about in the next week... but what about the next couple of centuries (considering the increasing speed of our biological and biotechnical developments)?
Nonetheless this is the question that this train of thought has led me onto (and if you have gotten this far I applaud you). Supposing these creations and procedures could come about... what of the ethical factors? The average human lifespan is still increasing... 47 years old 100 years ago and now roughly 77. What about the potential if taking into consideration the potential of medicine and transplant work? In this capitalist society would this not create further division between those who can afford the procedures and those who cannot? What about the theoretically inevitable continuing overpopulation and the subsequent drain of resources?
As much as I detest leaving questions unanswered I have however brought this on myself! Whilst writing this entry I was pleased to find a number of medical journals mirroring to an extent my stance on this subject so perhaps I have not quite lost it completely - though what I noted for these that they did not cover the social implications at all. The case here however is that there is no way to answer these questions... firstly because it would be entirely theoretical with no way of providing actual answers, and secondly because these concocted notions are simply that - the creations of a perhaps over active imagination!
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