Nanotechnology Offers Health Benefits for Developing Nations

7 March 2007

Imagine using Nanotechnology to introduce revolutionary new ways of dispensing medicine and veritable miracles of hygiene in developing nations. It might be possible someday, for example, for citizens of Bangladesh to disinfect contaminated water by placing it in a treated bottle, and exposing it to direct sunlight. The Nanoparticles in the bottles will go to work filtering out the impurities in the water and delivering clean, drinkable water as a result. Or it may be possible for doctors in Mexico to dispense to their patients medicine that can be inhaled, without any need for refrigeration. These visions of Nanotechnology may seem farfetched, but they are well within the reach of Nanotechnology, according to scientists who see the new technology as a way to improve health among populations in developing nations.

This and other possibilities were discussed recently at a conference dubbed “Using Nanotechnology to Improve Health Care in Developing Countries.” Participants included Peter Singer, a scientist at the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health and professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. Two other major organizations, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies and the Global Health Initiative helped to organize the event.

More than 5 billion people live in the developing world who can reap tremendous health benefits from Nanotechnology. Already, Nanotechnology research efforts in countries such as China, India, Brazil and South Africa exist that could be tailored to meet the needs of the poor. India is prepared to invest $20 million in Nanotechnology initiatives from 2004-2009, and Brazil’s budget for 2004-2007 is about $25.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI) has created the Nanotechnology Alliance for Cancer to bring Nanotechnology into the clinic as well. The objective is to develop Nanomaterials and Nanomedical devices that can be used in developing countries to treat sickness and disease, as well as ultimately prevent illnesses such as cancer. Ultimately, Nanotechnology can be used to solve or at least alleviate much of the developing world’s health needs.

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