Identifying Future Directions and Challenges

in Developing a Product or Service

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http://www.chineseowl.idv.tw


1. Introduce a sector or industry concerned with
the development of a specific product or
service. /

2. Describe product or service development in
detail. /
3. Cite a specific application.
4. Describe future directions or potential
applications of this product or service.
/

1. Introduce a sector or industry
concerned with the development of a
specific product or service.
/

Taiwans biotechnology sector has rapidly
evolved in line with global trends. Given
the increased profits of medical-oriented
biotechnology firms, a growing number of
seemingly unrelated market sectors have
expressed much interest in biotechnology
applications. Traditional Chinese medicine
is no exception.


Cancer often occurs long before diagnosis,
making it difficult to treat and cure.
Therapeutic treatment is occasionally so
extensive that patients fear it as much as
the disease itself.

As the global medical technology has
rapidly evolved in recent years, radiation
oncology departments have developed
new technologies to keep in pace with
technological innovations, such as those
involving radiation pharmaceuticals and
linear accelerators.

2. Describe product or service
development in detail.
/

Traditional Chinese medicine and other traditional
medical treatments have already received considerable
attention in the new millennium, as evidenced by the
availability of commercial medicinal herb-based products.
Having significantly contributed to restoring human
health and treating diseases, traditional Chinese
medicine and Western medicine differ mainly in drug
design and practicality. Preparing traditional Chinese
medicine involves complex treatment procedures, in
which crude drugs are derived from many chemical
compounds and plants constitute more than 80% of the
contents.


Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has
been extensively adopted in theoretical
and clinical experiments for diagnosing
cancer in its early stages. For diagnostic
purposes, PET acquires physiological
images by detecting positrons. Positrons
are miniaturized particles emitted from a
radioactive substance administered to
patients.


With the increasing incidence of cancer in the general
population, the health profession has aggressively
implemented cancer preventive measures. As the
market demand for radiation technology-based cancer
treatments increases along with available product
innovations, a recent National Science Council report
indicated that revenues from the radiation oncology
sector ranged from $NT 500 million to 1 billion in Taipei
in 2004. Given the large market potential, radiation
oncology departments in Taiwanese hospitals have
express much interest in radiation oncology technology
applications, which have been encouraged by strong
governmental support.

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