A Review of Personalized Medicine
After Merck was found negligent last week for concealing information from the public on side effects associated with Vioxx, there has been more talk about personalized medicine. Ideally, information on genes and other types of biomarkers will make it possible to categorize people based on their reaction to certain drugs, e.g., metabolic rate and side-effects.
The September 5th issue of Business Week has a review of personalized medicine that’s worth reading:
New medicines will more effectively target what ails you — and help prevent another Vioxx
Personalized medicine is set for a natural progression:
- Genetic screening will yield more accurate diagnoses.
- Doctors will prescribe medications that will help, not harm.
- More effective treatments for specific populations.
- Less waste and much less Vioxx-style collateral damage.
Companies like Roche have already developed DNA chips which check patients’ genetic profiles for differences in liver enzyme activity that affect the metabolism of prescription drugs. As technology advances and prices drop, genetic screening will become available for all of us – improving both the quality and quantity of our lives. Then we’ll have other worries to consider: social security for an increasingly older population, multi-generational family units and conflicts, shifts in the structure of society, etc. But one step at a time, shall we?
