and Diffusion in a Social Context

This article highlights mechanisms that may fur-ther sustainable technological development for the 21st century. The distributional effects associated with the adoption and diffusion of health care tech-nologies are addressed wherein the capacity to cap-italize on the health gains from the adoption of technology varies in society. These effects are caused by the actions of individuals as they seg-ment themselves into distinct social groups. The circumstances under which social institutions are further segmented are explored and may motivate public sector limits on the funding for and diffu-sion of health care technologies. Safety and efficacy benchmarks are necessary but insufficient condi-tions for sustainability as product advantage on grounds of cost-effectiveness must also be demon-strated. Furthermore, given the substantial role played by public sector decision makers in pur-chasing health care technologies, the distributional consequences associated with the uptake and diffu-sion of technology need to be gauged by product designers and those responsible for marketing