Potential
Risks and Key Concerns
For all the benefits promised by nanotechnology, there are significant
risks and concerns that must be considered for thorough analysis of the
technology. There are four
categories of primary concerns related to nanomedicine:
A.
Environmental
B.
Security of
Personal Medical Information
C.
Bioterrorism
D.
Human genocide
A.
Environmental
With the anticipated universal use of nano particles for medical
evaluation and procedures combined with the self-replicating attribute of the
medical tools and treatments, a huge threat would be the uncontrolled spread of
bacterial or viral infection. Apparently, post-partum, nano particles could be
expelled from the body through saliva or urine. Tiny particles (not visible by
the human eye) carrying infection, if not properly disposed could inadvertently
or deliberately be used to spark medical situations of epidemic proportions.
Moreover, could programming mistakes in a self-replicating machine create new
bacteria which could quickly create an epidemic?
As nano development continues to evolve, what controls over research and
development will be established to prevent potential environmental destruction?
What precautions will be taken to ensure citizens understand risks before
undergoing nano-based medical procedures? How will unsuspecting citizens be able
to protect themselves in the case of nanoparticle attack on the environment?
B.
Security of
Personal Medical Information
Today, medical information systems are archaic with much of the
information stored in manual files with fairly good physical access controls.
Nanotechnology, with its promises of nanorobot-based medical condition analysis
and treatment procedures will change that. Currently, it is believed an
environment of medical experts systems will be developed to support nanomedicine.
Information concerning individualsí medical history and records could be
transmitted over wireless networks. Moving medical information to physical
databases will also increase vulnerabilities to data theft or illegal data
manipulation.
What standards will be developed to ensure privacy of medical records? How
will medical, health, and life insurance industries be impacted by the plethora
of new information available on new and existing customers? What rights will the
patient maintain and how will they be enforced?
C.
Bioterrorism
Nanotechnology
could totally change the traditional paradigm of national and global security.
Today, a ěcountry super-powerî structure exists with the United States at
the top of the chain. For the most part, security is garnered or maintained by
using brute force (Gulf War being a fairly recent example). As countries evolve,
Bioterrorism has increasingly become an issue of national and global
security. Today, we believe the threat exists that countries are stockpiling
strands of disease, such as small pox and polio.
The potential for bioterrorism is exponential using nanotechnology. Bacteria and viruses could be created for which vaccines do not exist. Attacks could be instigated against countries with no advance notice or ability to detect and defend against potentially undefined nanoparticles.
How
will this impact the balance of power between democratic and autocratic or
authoritarian governments? How will America compensate for additional security
risks posed by the new technology?
D.
Human Genocide
Genetic evolution has limited life to a system based on DNA, RNA, and
ribosomes, but memetic evolution will create ělifeî from nanocomputers and
assemblers. These machines will be able to surpass the capabilities of genetic
evolution. This gives rise to what can be called ěTerminator Syndromeî. As
aptly portrayed in the movie so named, the ěTerminator Syndromeî is an
environment where memetically-evolved ělifeî, with its superior capabilities
and self-replication abilities could threaten to extinct human life as we know
if today. Although this seems outlandish and difficult to comprehend within
todayís paradigm, this risk needs to be thoroughly evaluated, investigated,
and mitigated as we move forward in adopting nanotechnology and its
applications.
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For more in-depth analysis of risks and concerns, please read Chapter 11: Engines of Destruction (http://www.foresight.org/EOC/EOC_Chapter_11.html) of the book Engines of Creation by Eric Drexler.
