Week 10 Discussion Post 19 Document | IHP 600 - Social And Organizational Issues In Healthcare
- Withthe advent of AI in surgeries, human error is eliminated altogether. The robotic systems
incorporating artificial intelligence offer data collection and have analytical capabilities to remove the limitations of human-driven robotic arms. AI-based surgical robotic systems would help Physicians make data-driven, informed decisions during surgical procedures. Researchers have also been developing tiny surgical robots called nanobots to cure diseases by entering the body of patients(Ghosh, 2021). Some of the challenges that come with the Robotic systems include the high cost associated with the system itself. The large robotic units cost about 1.5-2 million and will be a big investment for any hospital and they must determine the surgical volume before doing so, it also requires significant space in the operating room and must be installed. The robotic systems also must be integrated with the IT systems and EHR systems and will raise questions about patient consent and privacy issues. Even though robotic systems have been in use since the 2000s, the future still has more potential in these areas as to robotic devices providing more assistance to surgical teams (Smith, n.d). Gene therapy is another area that is getting a lot of attention these days, many of its applications are still experimental.Gene therapy is the therapeutic delivery or transfer of nucleic acid into a patient’s cells as a drug to treat disease. According to The Journal of Gene Medicine, just over 2,700 gene therapy, clinical trials have been conducted in thirty-eight countries around the world as of 2018(Brophy, 2019). The approach of gene therapy is broad, with the potential treatment of diseases caused by recessive gene disorders like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy, and sickle cell anemia, and acquired genetic diseases such as cancer, and certain viral infections, such as AIDS. One of the most often used techniques in gene therapy is the use of recombinant DNA technology, in which the healthy gene is inserted into a vector, which can be a plasmid or a virus. The possibility of genetically modifying anything raises bioethical questions and is a topic of heated discussions and arguments.Gene therapy remains a complex process despite several successful trials and needs the development of its techniques. The specific body cells that require treatment must be identifiable and accessible. There should be an effective way to then distribute the gene copies to the identified cells and their genetic makeup and the diseases that are treated must be fully understood. If gene therapy is done on germline cells, the germ cells; sperm, and egg are modified by the introduction of genetic material, this will be passed on to future generations also (Goncalves & Paiva, 2017). Scalability and manufacturability are major challenges that the gene therapy industry faces. If drugs can be manufactured at the scale they are needed, can it be done safely. It needs the collaboration of cell and gene therapy producers and the supply companies that support them and they must develop stronger partnerships. Another significant challenge is finding solutions for side effects and finding ways to address high costs associated with gene therapy. Cost-effective drugs must be developed (Brophy, 2019).
References
Brophy, G. (2019). Opportunities and challenges in cell and gene therapy development. Retrieved fromhttps://www.genengnews.com/commentary/point-of-view/opportunities-and-challenges-in-cell-and- gene-therapy-development/ Gonçalves, G., & Paiva, R. (2017). Gene therapy: advances, challenges, and perspectives.Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil),15(3), 369–375. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-45082017RB4024 Ghosh, K. (2021).Innovation of Robotic Technology for Medical Surgery: The Bright Future of Surgical Robotic Systems. Retrieved fromhttps://www.theproche.com/2021/08/16/innovation-of-robotic- technology-for-medical-surgery Smith, R. (n.d). The future of Robotics in Surgery. Retrieved from https://reproductive- system.healthcaretechoutlook.com/cxoinsights/the-future-of-robotics-in-surgery-nid-747.html