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The medical benefits long promised from the field of nanotechnology should begin revolutionizing the way disease is diagnosed by 2010, according to an independent study commissioned by the Swiss government.
The Centre for Technology Assessment, TA-SWISS, asked 70 experts from the Unites States and Europe to give their views on where nanotechnology research is now and where it might be in 10 to 20 years' time.
The experts forecast that nanotechnology will lead to more efficient medical diagnosis as early as 2010. “Diagnosis will be quicker, earlier, and much more accurate; that is what the experts believe,” Marcel Indermühle, TA-SWISS nanotechnology project co-coordinator, told The Scientist.
On the other hand, the experts predict that using nanotechnology to treat illnesses could still be more than a decade away. It will also be restricted to specific illnesses, such as cancer and viral infections.
The study by TA-SWISS also addressed fears about the safety of nanotechnology. “One area we do not know enough about is how nanoparticles impact on the immune system,” Indermühle said, identifying nanotoxicity in particular as a potential risk.
He also emphasized the importance of holding a public debate on nanotechnology. “We don't want to repeat the mistake made with biotechnology and genomics. The way these technologies were communicated to the general public was arrogant. People's fears need to be taken into account when it comes to deciding how nanotechnology will develop,” he said.
Commenting on the TA-SWISS study, Wolfgang Heckl, professor of nanotechnology at the University of Munich, emphasized the importance of separating hype from reality.
“Of course, much of nanotechnology will revolutionize the way we live and have a huge impact on medicine. After all, the human body is composed of nanomachines. But I doubt we will see the giant leaps predicted,” he told The Scientist.
“My motto is simple: science before technology. First of all, we need to invest in the basic research. Then we can think about possible applications. There is too much emphasis on the products of nanotechnology,” he said.
Heckl also said the potential dangers of nanotechnology—including the creation of self-replicating “nanorobots” who might escape human control to turn the planet to grey goo—had been wildly exaggerated.
“Many of the people issuing these dire warnings about nanotechnology do not know enough about science to form a real picture of the technology,” he said.
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