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On the Cusp of Star Trek Level Medical Technology
“What is this, the Dark Ages?” — Bones
Medicine has progressed significantly in the last few hundred years, especially as the practice has become increasingly informed by science, rather than simply trial and error. Yet, as far as we’ve progressed, there’s something very wrong with the way medical technology functions.
Medical science is designed to treat large groups of people, and does not allow medical technology that is highly specific to an individual’s needs. The rate at which new medical treatments are developed are also painfully slow.
It is partially for this reason that treating cancers is so difficult. There are numerous different kinds of cancer, and in many ways cancer is unique to each individual suffering from it. As a result, general purpose treatments, while helpful, are often insufficient, while also taking a long time to produce and test.
The Growing Paradigm Shift
In Star Trek, we often see crews come into contact with novel medical issues, often affecting the entire crew. The trope of the crew bringing back something dangerous is a common one in Star Trek series.
Luckily, Star Trek technology has advanced to the point where the chief medical officer on board is able to…
