Medical Dominance in the Australian Health System: The Case of the Bionic Ear

06 June 2006

The material for this paper is based on approximately 60 face-to-face interviews with specialist doctors, consumers, administrators, policy makers, various officials, researchers and company representatives. It is a case study of the development of the Australian Bionic Ear (or cochlear implant prosthesis) providing an analysis of the key social relationships within medicine - between doctors, scientists, consumers, government officials, industry representatives and others - which shape the development and implementation of new medical technologies.