Article : Telemedicine and gerontechnology: necessity of an international steering by ethics

Vincent RIALLE*, Pierre RUMEAU**, Catherine OLLIVET***, Juliette SABLIER****, Christian HERVE*****

* CHU de Grenoble/Unité Fonctionnelle ATMISS et Université Joseph Fourier/équipe GEM.
**  Président de la Société Française des Technologies pour l’Autonomie et de Gérontechnologie.
*** Institut Européen de Télémédecine, CHU de Toulouse, France.
**** Présidente de l’association France Alzheimer Seine Saint Denis.
***** Laboratoire d’Éthique Médicale, Université Paris-Descartes.

Abstract

Telemedicine and gerontechnology develop a mode that can be described as “hyperactive paralysis”, i.e., an uncontrolled and unsuccessful proliferation of tools and limited experiments that results in an inability to establish useful, desired, and sustainable products. The purpose of this article is to show, from national and international scientific research, the need to anchor the development of new practices and experiments of new organizations on the notion of ethics if we really wish to overcome this hyperactive paralysis. Indeed, the current international context of aging populations and socio-economic crisis urgently urges to develop reliable and affordable products to help vulnerable people, particularly those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. However, instead of sustainable and adapted products, this context fosters the development of cost effective products in the very short term, with strong planned obsolescence. This tendency raises justified fears within public opinion, politics and science that nevertheless may also go against the right of every citizen to benefit of advanced science and its technological outcomes. The task of ethics is precisely to define and implement the principles to solve this dilemma. Ethics, however, should not be limited to a regulatory or advisory role. In order to adhere the main objective of development of telemedicine and gerontechnology – which is the help to people in distress –, ethics should also govern the decisions and be the engine of a controlled and rational use of technology.