Experts Weigh in On The Future of Personalized Medicine

Author: Biodesign Institute
Published: 2017/01/13 - Updated: 2025/01/23
Publication Type: Reports & Proceedings
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Personalized Medicine - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: New technologies of the 21st century has revolutionized the ways doctors practice medicine in the clinic and in their laboratories.

Why it matters: This article delves into the evolution of personalized medicine, emphasizing the transition from therapeutic to preventive care facilitated by advancements in technology. It highlights the role of wearable devices in collecting real-time health data, enabling early detection of potential health issues and fostering proactive patient engagement. The discussion underscores the necessity of integrating these technologies into healthcare systems to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes. By examining the operational challenges and potential of personalized healthcare, the article provides valuable insights into the future of medical practice and patient care - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Experts from the health care world met at ASU to discuss the future of personalized medicine. The 21st century's barrage of new technologies has revolutionized the ways doctors practice medicine in the clinic and in their laboratories. The rate of change is only expected to get faster, and so it is difficult for today's medical experts to accurately depict the future of health care. There are some ideas however, that clinicians hope to see continue into the next frontier of medicine.

Main Item

One of these emerging ideas is personalized medicine.

While there has been a lot of hype and hope about personalized medicine, one thing is certain: modern technologies are allowing caregivers to vastly understand more about their individual patients.

Personalized and customizable health care was the topic of interest for an expert panel discussion at ASU on January 11th.

Professors Amy Foxx-Orenstein, Heather M. Ross and the Biodesign Institute's own Karen Anderson weighed in on the important trends and technologies that are driving personalized healthcare.

The shift from therapeutic care to preventive care is an important part of the personalized medicine equation according to the doctors who spoke at the Wednesday event. Such a shift would help to stop illnesses before they result in life threatening health situations, and also take a burden off of healthcare systems.

"As we start shifting towards prevention we will make a more efficient healthcare system. The problem is how to get there," said Anderson.

The answer may lie partly in wearable technology.

Most everyone has seen or owns one by now; the little electronic wristbands that collect information on things like heart rate and blood pressure. Over time these smartphone-linked devices can collect a treasure trove of health data on their wearers, which can be useful to both patients and doctors. They can act as an early alert system, warning their wearers and informing doctors when signs of a potential health issue may appear.

Anderson believes anticipatory monitoring has the biggest value potential f, but there are still hurdles to overcome.

First, you need to show that earlier detection has an impact on mortality rates in order to get people behind the research. If there is a link between early detection and decreasing mortality rates, wearable users become a population of people who can be studied and evaluated for intervention.

Next, medical researchers need to build the bridge from information gathering into prevention.

"For a lot of things we have the technology, but it's operationalizing that technology where we fall short still. The technology is there, but how we use the technology needs to come a long way," Ross said.

The breakout of wearables is just the beginning of a whole new wave in personalized medicine.

Along with ever more precise blood tests that can measure minute molecules to help diagnose people - even before symptoms appear - or tiny bots to deliver drugs within the body, we are only at the conceptual beginning of what personalized health care will look like.

Health care in our lifetimes may well be something straight out of science fiction...

Editorial Insights, Analysis, and Developments

In summary, while personalized medicine faces significant challenges in terms of implementation, cost, and equity, the consensus among experts is that its potential to revolutionize healthcare by offering treatments that are as unique as the individuals they serve is profound. The convergence of technology, data science, and medical innovation is setting the stage for a future where healthcare is truly personalized - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Biodesign Institute and published on 2017/01/13, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Biodesign Institute can be contacted at biodesign.asu.edu NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Citing Information and Page References

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Cite This Page (APA): Biodesign Institute. (2017, January 13 - Last revised: 2025, January 23). Experts Weigh in On The Future of Personalized Medicine. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 11, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/pm/pm-discuss.php

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