Johnson Philippe*
A new wave of biomedical technologies has emerged as a result of the convergence of ICT, nanotechnology, and biomedical sciences, resulting in visions of "molecular medicine." This paper examines how the emerging field of molecular medicine may alter both the definition of "disease" and the boundary between health and disease, as new technologies frequently alter concepts of health and disease. It provides a brief synopsis of molecular medicine's development and often highly speculative visions. Following that, a brief discussion is given to three common philosophical perspectives on disease: the physiological, normative, and ontological (neo-ontological) concepts of disease. In light of this, two trends in molecular medicine stand out: the use of a disease cascade model and the idea that disease is a deviation from an individual pattern of functioning. It becomes abundantly clear that concepts of health and disease are pushed in diverse, sometimes opposing directions by molecular medicine. However, the tensions that result may also present opportunities to direct the medical profession's future in more favourable directions.
KeywordsMolecular medicine; Nano medicine, Concept of disease; Concept of health; Technology; Reductionism; Personalized medicine
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