What do you really need ...

Kevin Margeson
HSD 501 – Science and Democracy, Dr. Miller
Weekly Reading Brief 9 – Mar 25, 2011
Socio-Technical Constitutions

The politics of artifacts is a topic that defines the debate between whether technology is socially constructed or technically determinant; or do the social implications of an application result in driven technology or does a technology determine its best application as an inherent trait of its nature. Winner’s assertion that whether artifacts have political connotations resulted in the system of technical co-production that drives much of STS theory today. I believe the articles for today show that in many ways society drives the technology when it comes to regulation, but that the technology drives society when it comes to governance issues.

The case of genetic cancer screening clearly illustrates the technology as both active contributor and reactive participant. As some tests have specific characteristics that make them more or less effective for certain types of cancer, or can be adjusted to breadth of their results, the tests themselves act on how they can be utilized. The fact that they are used at all as indicators shows that people trust the technology to be accurate predictors of future outcomes. The application of the tests is also constrained by the government that that applies them, as to who should pay, how they should access the tests, and who besides the patient get access to that information.

In our freedom loving society, we tend to apply the privacy principal as patients are concerned that their information could be used insurance companies to disqualify them for treatments or limit their coverage. The genetic testing question raises the potential for abuse by medical providers who could deny care if deemed too expensive. The very companies that patent the genetic sequences and tests could be coopted into making care less available, as opposed to the diagnostic tool that they are designed.

Conspiracy theories aside though, the UK methods of ensuring access to predictive testing through a series of qualifying rounds is an effective solution. It rather mirrors some of the European methods of selecting for higher education, where you have to qualify for entrance by demonstrating proficiency. Demonstrating true need as a way to ensure access, as opposed to American systems where the need may not be identified due to our hesitation to share the information.