The Present Nanomedicine: Trying To Move Foward

In the field of nanotechnology, I think the medicine in one of the biggest science which uses nanotechnology and is trying to make more extensive approaches in many aspects, such as curing cancer, doing tracking of substances in the human body, making complicated surgeries with infrared laser, and also in the application of many medical and clinical procedures.

Currently, nanomedicine is a very large industry which is growing so fast every day, with more than 40 products and more than 200 companies dedicated to this business. Only in 2005 the nanomedicine sales reached 6.8 billion dollars against a minimum of 3.8 billion invested every year on this field. For that experts are expecting a significant growing of the nanomedicine in the forthcoming years which directly impact the world wide economy.

Why nanotechnology applied to the medicine is growing so fast? There are two main reasons for that. For instance, according to the information of the American Cancer Society, in 2007 occurred 12 million new cancer cases around the world. In 2050 will be 27 million new cancer cases according to the estimations. Observing this situation you may ask yourself what will happen with the rest of the diseases such as cerebrovascular problems, heart diseases, malignant neoplasm, lower respiratory infections and many others which cause million of death every year.

However with this immense scenery, the nanomedicine scientists have a wide possibility to increase the research while make a direct application of the nanomedicine in this world needed of healing. The second reason why nanomedicine is growing very quickly is due the effectiveness of the use of medicine in nano-scale or the use of nano-robots in medical procedures.

Nanomedicine is moving forward in drug delivery, improving the bioavailability of a drug. That is the presence of drug molecules in the perfect place of the body where it will do the most good. Drug delivery is concentrating in drive the drug to the specific place in the body while focus in do that in the perfect period of time. Really thatís an important and significant advance because every year are wasted around 65 billion dollar just by problems with a poor bioavailability.

Furthermore with these few things the current nanomedicine can do miracles and what is expected in the future is beyond what we can imagine. Scientist involved in nanomedicine are developing more powerful Nanodevices capable of detect and evaluate the patient, treat and report almost anything automatically to the clinical doctor. Beside of this the futures impacts of nanotechnology and nanoscience will be in configure and develop a completely new market of nano medicine (nano drugs) more useful and with fewer side effects.

In the case of the molecular machines, cells could be repaired more directly doing exactly the same work of the living systems. Because the conventional medicine only can use drugs and surgery to encourage tissues which will be repaired themselves. However the molecular machines can have direct access to the cells and can recognize other molecules by touch and rebuild every molecule inside a cell. These machines will be driven by Nanocomputers and will be able to restore completely many cells through rebuilding structure by structure.

A very important aspect of the possible future of the nanomedicine, is necessary be informed about the Neuro-electronic interfaces which are a visionary objective of develop devices capable to make direct connections with the human nervous system. For approach those goals is required make the construction of molecular structures that permit detect and control the nerve impulses by an external computer. Also if computers could control the nervous system so could be controlled the effect of diseases and injuries. Nanoparticles are used for make diagnostics and also to monitor the progression of many diseases. Current research using nanoparticles in human health system is still preliminary and is basically based on cell culture studies, only few investigations deal with the in vivo effects of nanoparticles on biological systems.

In my opinion I can see the future of nanomedicine too high and beyond our imagination. If nanorobots are as successful as scientists expect, our world will feel the powerful impact of an amazing revolution in health. Is necessary that many researches take place in the coming decades and the technology continue developing everyday. I think that many physicians are not prepared and worst, are not informed about this revolution and evidently will be necessary a new way for understanding these advances. The futures of nanomedicine will depend of the rational design of nano tools which can response to the needs of biological problems and preparing more efficient medical science.

Author: HÈctor Nicol·s Suero
Nanovip Staff Writer