Challenges in the health industry

There are many challenges facing the health industry worldwide. Some of the challenges include increasing data demands and available information, how to turn that information into actionable plans and tasks, rising pharmaceutical costs, the increase in the health industry consolidation, medical errors and the increased costs they incur, quality and safety concerns and the financial viability of various treatments and research and development are just some of the myriads of problems and challenges the health sector has got to deal with.

Nanotechnology and nanoparticles are providing a novel way to address these challenges. Various efforts are being made all over the world on ways to leverage nanotechnology in the areas of preventing, diagnosing and treating various conditions and diseases. As time goes on, nanotechnology may be used to increase immunity at a cellular level or even to work alongside the body’s antibodies in fighting off diseases and disease causing pathongens. 

Application on nanotechnlogy in the health industry

Active research and development is being undertaken globally to determine how to best exploit nanotechnology in the field of healthcare. Governments, learning institutions and corporations all over the world are looking into ways nanotechnology can be used and commercialized in the healthcare industry. 

Areas of applications of nanotechnology in healthcare and medicine

Diagnostics

Nanotechnology will greatly improve and change the way diagnosis is carried out. Nano enabled instruments and devices will be able to increase the diagnostic effectiveness by increasing throughput, efficiency and targeted conditions and ailments to name but a few. Lab on a chip methodologies and technologies should bring the cost of diagnosis as well as the time needed down over time. 

Some of the ways nanotechnology will change diagnostics include biological markers analysis, in-vitro uses of nanomaterials and particles, early detection and diagnosis of various conditions and personalized diagnosis for individuals at high risk of various conditions. Preventive medicine is thus no longer a pipe dream and can be carried out better with the application of nanotechnology. This will help in saving a lot of lives and it is anticipated to reduce treatment costs over time. 

This is because a lot of resources are needed in managing chronic ailments and conditions and these resources can be used better in providing healthcare to others. By detecting diseases and conditions early or even before their onset, individuals are in a better position to take control of their health. This can enable them to manage a disease before it advances to more serious stages and to make lifestyle changes that can prevent the onset of given conditions or even reverse them. Given the many benefits of diagnostics, it is one of the leading research areas on the application of nanotechnology.

Controlling infections

Nanotechnology is also being explored for its potential to control and prevent infections. This can be achieved in several ways such as detecting pathogens to controlling and killing bacteria and superbugs.

Discovery of drugs

Nanotechnology is being explored as a way of bring new drugs to the market. This can be achieved through automation of various processes, minituarization, increasing assays’ reliability and increasing the speed of various steps in the discovery process.

Nanotechnology can be applied in the screening of targets so as to examine the effects of drugs at a cellular and molecular level. By mapping the genotype of individuals, nanotechnology has the potential of enabling the development of personalized drugs.

Nanotechnology has been shown to be effective in making the discovery of drugs more efficient and reducing the costs involved. Given the time and huge capital required to bring new medicines to the market, the cost of discovering new drugs is a major cost in the healthcare industry. Personalized medicines have the potential to greatly reduce side-effects of the drugs used in the treatment of various conditions. Such savings and increased efficiency can greatly improve healthcare especially if the improvements are passed on to the consumer.

Regenerative medicine

Nanotechnology is being examined as a way of changing the field of regenerative medicine. The use of scaffolds to provide support to cells to develop tissues to be implanted into patients is an active area of research. Some applications that are near treatment include growth of new bones and cartilages to be implanted as a replacement to damaged and diseased ones. Long-term applications being considered include growth of major organs such as the heart and kidney for replacement.

Delivery of drugs

Delivery of drugs using nanotechnology has been considered for its many benefits. This will enable drugs to be delivered in difficult to get to areas and in the least required possible dosage. Highly toxic medicines such as those used to treat cancer can be delivered to the target areas in small doses, making them more effective while reducing their side effects. Some new classes of medicines like biologics can be delivered using nanotechnology. Some hard to get to areas such as the brain can have drugs delivered to them using nanotechnology.