As noted in the Foreword, this report is the second of several volumes resulting from this study of future health care technology. The purpose of the study, as formulated by the STG, was to analyze future health care technology. Part of the task was to develop an 'early warning system' for health care technology. The primary goal of the project was to develop a list or description of a number of possible and probable future health care technologies, as well as information on their importance. Within the limits of time and money, this has been done. This report is the description of anticipated future health care technologies. However, given the vast number of possible future health care technologies, complete information on the importance of each area could not be developed in any depth for all technology. Therefore, four specific technologies were chosen and were prospectively assessed. These future technologies were examined in more depth, looking particularly at their future health and policy implications. Subsequently, the project was extended to September 1987, and two additional technologies are being assessed.

Inhalt
I Introduction.- Why analyze future health care technology?.- Technological change in health care.- A system for identifying future health care technology.- A system for health care technology assessment.- The specific technologies.- Organization of this report.- II Disease prevention and health promotion.- Life-styles.- Self-care.- Social and psychological supports.- Screening.- Vaccines.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- III Nutrition.- Promoting a healthy diet.- Screening and surveillance.- Diagnosis.- Treatment.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- IV The brain, behavior, and mental health.- Prevention.- Diagnosis.- Psychologically-oriented therapy.- Drugs.- Regeneration of central nervous tissue.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- V Reproductive health.- Contraception.- Treatment for infertility.- Improved knowledge of reproductive endocrinology.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- VI Fetal and child health.- Primary prevention of infant morbidity and mortality.- Prenatal screening.- Fetal and neonatal health.- Child health.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- VII Medical imaging and other diagnostic technologies.- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).- Positron Emission Tomography (PET).- Digitalization.- Biosensors.- Other diagnostic technologies.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- VIII Biotechnology-related developments.- Monoclonal antibodies.- Genetic diagnosis and screening.- Home diagnostic kits.- Vaccines.- Pharmaceuticals.- Gene therapy.- Miscellaneous biotechnology-related.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- IX Biologies and pharmaceuticals.- Biotechnology-related developments.- Other developments.- Delivery systems.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- X Blood banking.- Biotechnology-related changes.- Bloodsubstitutes.- Pheresis technology.- Automation and computerization.- Blood collection and storage.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XI Artificial and transplanted organs and tissues.- Transplanted organs and tissues.- Artificial organs and tissues.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XII Laser technology.- Research applications.- Applications in diagnosis.- Applications in therapy.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XIII Other progress in therapy.- Operating room instrumentation.- Anesthesia.- Intensive care.- Wound healing.- Radiotherapy.- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.- Ventilation equipment (for assisting breathing).- Bone growth stimulation.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XIV Rehabilitation and home care.- Rehabilitation.- Geriatric rehabilitation.- Prosthetics and robotics.- Technologies for support in the home.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XV Oral health.- Prevention of dental caries.- Diagnosis and treatment of dental caries.- Prevention and treatment of peridontal disease.- Implanted teeth.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XVI Alternative therapy.- Homeopathy and other forms of energy medicine.- Manipulation, osteopathy and chiropractic.- Nutrition.- Affecting psychosomatic balance through the mind.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XVII The computer: clinical applications.- Computer-assisted diagnosis.- Therapeutic protocols.- Artificial intelligence.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XVIII The computer: organizational and analytical applications.- The computerized medical record.- Organizational and financial.- Monitoring and networking.- Epidemiology and analysis.- Education.- Information for the public.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- XIX Basic and applied sciences.- Molecular biology.-Biochemistry and cell biology.- Immunology.- Materials science.- Micro-electronics.- Social implications.- Conclusion.- Appendixes.- A. Method of the project.- B. Other responses to the survey.- C. Acknowledgements.- D. Glossary of terms.- E. References.