The significance of technological change in medicine: An introduction

For 2 very different sets of reasons the field of medical technology merits the attention of students of research policy to a degree that has not been evident. The first set of reasons relates to the inherent significance for society of innovation in medicine. In practice and in theory, this area in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research policy 1985-08, Vol.14 (4), p.173-177, Article 173
Main Author: Blume, Stuart S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Medical
Medical technology
R&D
Research & development
Technological change
Technology
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Summary:For 2 very different sets of reasons the field of medical technology merits the attention of students of research policy to a degree that has not been evident. The first set of reasons relates to the inherent significance for society of innovation in medicine. In practice and in theory, this area involves many complex economic, ethical, and sociological arguments. For example, the critique of the ''technologization'' of obstetric care that developed within the women's movement has combined with certain critical trends within medical sociology. The other set of reasons concerns the significance of the study of medical technology for comprehending innovation in general -- its potentially exemplificatory value. The concept of ''market determinateness'' is an example. The concept was developed during a study by Teubal (1976) of the Israeli biomedical instrumentation sector.
ISSN:0048-7333
1873-7625
DOI:10.1016/S0048-7333(85)80009-3