Toxicity and Ethical Concerns of Nanomedicine

It is imperative to be cautious and assess the potential risks of any new technology. Although nanomedicine has great promises in healthcare, it also has the potential for unintended consequences and ethical concerns. The most significant near-term concern of nanomedicine applications is human toxicity. The toxicity of nanoparticles is currently undetermined. There also have been concerns about the possible carcinogenic properties of carbon nanotubes, especially through inhalation. While some scientists draw parallels between carbon nanotubes and asbestos with respect to inhalation risks, others argue that carbon nanotubes have different biological and chemical properties, and thus, such a comparison is erroneous. Other studies of nanoparticles have shown that while the body’s immune system typically responds to foreign substances, it fails to respond to the presence of nanoparticles. The immune system’s lack of response could be beneficial by allowing nanoparticles to be successfully injected into the body but the lack of response could also be fatal if these particles prove to be toxic.

Nanomedicine applications may be developed in the future to rapidly identify the genes of an individual. Employers could potentially use such information to discriminate against potential employees with high risk of chronic disease or other medical conditions. In countries like the US, insurance companies could use genetic information to deny coverage to individuals they regard as too risky. It may be possible to alter the genetic characteristics of unborn babies to avoid genetic defects or undesirable hereditary characteristics. Such practices have significant ethical implications because they involve artificial manipulation of humans. A more far-reaching ethical issue with nanomedicine involves techniques that could extend the life of humans through genetic manipulation. Pushing off the inevitability of death from old age has fundamental social and environmental implications and could effectively change the human experience on earth.