Intel: Semiconductor Growth Is In Medical Industry

By Agence France-Presse Microchips can change the face of the medical industry by helping detect cancer and break genetic codes while fuelling future growth for semiconductor firms, Intel's Craig Barrett said Nov. 19. Barrett, CEO of Intel Corp., said that after computers and mobile phones, demand for chips in the health-care industry would help transform the semiconductor industry. "There is a huge opportunity to do things differently in the health-care industry," Barrett said. "This is one major sector which so far has not used information technology. Medical records of individuals are still in paper form. There is enough computing power to study the genomic parameters and DNA (genetic building blocks) of people. "It will help in developing treatments tailored to individuals. This will drive the growth of computers and the demand for the chips," Barrett said. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2004