In Technology’s Promise, Halal discusses the possibility of growing replacement organs that are genetically identical to a patient’s own cells. His conjecture is based on the early results of stem cell technology used to grow various types of human tissue in the laboratory. He notes that millions of people with debilitating medical conditions could benefit from replacement tissue and organs. While this technology holds the promise to improve the lives of millions of people, there are cultural and religious issues surrounding the harvesting of stem cells that cannot be ignored. Some of those issues may be made less relevant by recent successes in coaxing adult skin cell into stem cells.
The market for replacement cells, tissue, and organs is enormous. Large pharmaceutical and bioengineering firms have already devoted considerable resources to this nascent field producing remarkable results. With U.S. healthcare spending approaching $2 trillion dollars annually, state and federal agencies will welcome the savings this technology could deliver. Barring any political intervention, the trend for continued investment and scientific successes in this field will increase.
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