Designing medical technology

This paper provides an overview of the pressures and considerations that steer the processes of design of medical technology. It discusses the paradoxes when weighing the risks of new technology against the risks already existing in the treatment of ill health. This paper speculates on the role of transparency and human-error science as parts of the design process in order to improve technical safety. Two major sources of potential disasters, which are concealed in Pandora’s box, will be discussed. The first is the outcome paradigm, and the second the paradox of progress by technology. The wrapping we put around the box is equally important. Therefore, in the third part, the impact of impace risk communication and media will be discussed. This wrapping is concerned with the way in which doom thinking and perception of safety influence the public, the authorities, and the medical profession. In the final section, the leading rationale in this area will be discussed, together with some ideas for progress.