I spent a few hours today reading Next by Michael Crichton.  Though Next was not particularly well written, it is remarkably thought-provoking.  Under the guise of a novel, Crichton attempts to show the potentially disasterous consequences of current US policies on the future of biomedical research.  The Author’s notes highlight broadly the five issues that he tackles:

• Patent on Genes
• Use of Human Tissues
• Availability of Gene Testing Data
• Government interference on research
• The Bayh-Dole Act

With one of his other works Prey, I became very excited about Cellular Automata and its potential ability to explain many of nature’s greatest mysteries.  With Next, on the other hand, I became genuinely scared and disturbed with the future of biotechnology.  The increasingly commercialized atmosphere (i.e. greed) that now pervades all the major research institutions in the US is especially troubling.  The large majority of engineers and medical scientists now finish their training without having taken a single course in ethics.  Yet, these same institutions are racing to combine the all-mighty MBA with all forms of other degrees.

I have always believed very strongly in the concept of social responsibility.  Every entity, ranging from the individual to global corporations has an obligation to contribute positively towards society.  However, with so many of tomorrow’s potential leaders oblivious about the potential repurcussions of their actions, how can we expect them to guide us?