Disruptive visions

Numerous advanced technologies, both medical and nonmedical, are emerging faster than their social, behavioral, political, moral, and ethical implications can be understood. Some of these technologies will fundamentally challenge the practice of surgery: human cloning, genetic engineering, tissue engineering, intelligent robotics, nanotechnology, suspended animation, regeneration, and species prolongation. Because of the rapidity of change, the current status of these emerging technologies with their specific moral and ethical issues must be addressed at this time by the new generation of surgeons, or we must all face the consequences of an uncontrolled and unprepared future.