The work being done using lasers to analyze expired gases is quite exciting. Previously gas analysis using mass spectrometry allowed physiologists to watch metabolism in action giving them the ability to fine tune athletic skills among other things. But these laser tools take breath analysis well beyond that technology. They can literally analyze every single molecule in the sample being studied and in real time. Already we know of over 1000 volatile metabolites that can be exhaled that are expressive of normal and abnormal health states. This method will be able to identify and quantify them all plus any not yet known. The scope of the potential applications in medical diagnosis and treatments is staggering. This is something that could send medical science into an entirely new advanced era. Instant recognition of disease states and their relative status using a non invasive method that is as simple to perform as are everyday pulmonary function tests. Assessment of treatment efficacy as the treatment is initiated and throughout its course. Really exciting stuff here folks. (We can thank the telecommunications industry for much of this laser technology. They developed much of it for their laser systems.)

While the high-tech development is exciting, as illuminated in the argument it is not something "new." For several millenia well-trained doctors of various types of medicine has been able to effectively and accurately diagnose patients without the glorified technology, including many "diseases" classified through the ICD only within the last 100 years.

With the advent of technology, as an unexpected and unintended consequence, it is also interesting to note that more and more people living in modern nations, particularly the US, are verifiably experiencing a 200% increase annually develop autoimmune diseases beyond the scope of western medicine treatment. So, too, many of these persons are allergic to the modernity of living, chemicals, lasers, prescription and OTC meds.

Additionally, such high tech advancements will ultimately serve the rich persons of the world. This highlights the technocracies. Such expensive developments will lie beyond thescope of availability to more than half of the American population alone and perhaps more than 80% of the world population. In contrast, the true needs for healthcare as assessed and deemed necessary by the 1978 WHO Alma Ata include the practitioners and doctors capable of these diagnostics through their own skills and training, minus the appendages. Notably, this declaration and agreement was inspired by the scientific and evidence based valuations and results of the Barefoot Doctors and CM doctors of China.

Regrettably, few MDs could compare to those MDs and practitioners in Developing nations, where they must learn to practice other medicines and healing techniques, treat minus most of the technology and diagnose based on their knowledge and skills. Sheer numbers everyday help cultivate that and develop the Art. Imagine seeing more than 100 patients a day or being responsible for more than a 250 square mile area.

Quanitifiably and verifiably,the technological advancements within the latter 20th century have posed more risk factors and have made the MDs trained within that time period within the developed nations significantly less skilled in diagnosis when compared to many of ther counterparts and many of their mentors who have retired.

Is it time to revisit the Art and Science of medicine, the necessary skillset of MDs? or is it time to recognize professionalized "Alternative and Complementary" Medicine doctors for the value they bring to the world, for the advanced diagnostics and healing they offer those treated by western medicine effectively (25% according to Robert Benton MD) and share the table?

The need to for technology to perform a job like this highlights man's/MDs inefficiency in the context of modernity and their lack of attention to detail. Learn form the past. Re-open the door that links the two and return man to the full experieince of humaity. Then, perhaps, doctors will cultivate themselves and return to the practice of medicine itself.

Well, yes and no. I'd agree that there are ways diagnose a handful of condition without this technology. None of them are as detailed and none are quantified. One could easily identify that a person is having keto acidosis by smelling their breath. This technique can actually tell you how severe that circumstance is. It can then follow up and tell you how well the treatment is working, all non invasively. It will also identify dozens of signatures for other diseases that maybe a well trained dog can detect. Such animals are not cheap, they still do not write reports and they are more novelty than practical. As with all new technology the start up costs will be high but I do think they will eventually be like cell phones, readily made, easily used and affordable for most everyone.

Your treatise on western versus non traditional medicine is well stated. I do think that we need to broaden the scope of medicine to include other perspectives. This has been done to some degree especially in the area of chronic pain control. But, confounding this effort are the individuals who knowingly pander treatments that have little or no medicinal value. The sellers of magnets, elixirs of cocaine and magical healthy bracelets cloud the arena, fogging the boundaries of functional medicine in any culture.

While your indictment of western medicine may be well intentioned I'm not in total agreement. There is always good reason to critique and room to improve, but all in all things are decidedly better than 100, 50 or even 10 years ago. The medicine delivered today is better as are the techniques used to study new diseases and advance new technologies. Medicine will continue to improve, faster and in more ways. This example shows the use of high technology to simplify diagnosis and treatment. There's no blood drawn, no sequestered lab equipment employed and no delays in getting the results. It will replace older invasive and slower methods as well as open new doors not yet envisioned. There is always need for improved technology to advance what you call "inefficiency". If mankind chose not to advance medicine we might still be bleeding out the vapors of death instead of treating illness. Man chooses to progress and that is less hindered today than in the past. Yes, we can do better, but we ain't doing too bad either.