What is personalised medicine and who is really benefiting from it today?
Personalised medicine represents a major breakthrough for the future of medicine. But who is really benefiting from it today? To assess its potential, it is necessary to clarify this concept.
What is personalised medicine?
Every person is different. Even if two people have the same diagnosis documented in their medical records, the disease may progress very differently. One person may respond well to medication, while another may experience unbearable side effects. Why does this happen? There is no doubt that medicine has come a long way by focusing on ordinary patients in clinical studies. However, commercially available 'standardised therapies' often do not lead to any of the desired outcomes for individuals, and sometimes cause unnecessary suffering
Personalised medicine does not follow the principle of trial and error, it attempts to predict, as individually as possible, which treatments are most likely to be effective based on medical data, and this is done through detailed analysis of a person's health, age, gender and even genetic characteristics. The DNA structures of two people differ by about six million base pairs in their DNA, not to mention the impact of the environment on them throughout their lives.
What does personalised medicine mean?
Personalised medicine may seem purely technical, in the sense that it lacks the human and emotional dimension as it requires specific data to deliver precise and targeted treatments. However, medicine has a long history of adapting treatments to individual circumstances. For example, a 75-year-old retiree with a broken forearm is treated differently than a 25-year-old athlete
The goal of personalised medicine is not to create a one-size-fits-all treatment, but to divide patients into subgroups to maximise the effectiveness of treatment and minimise side effects. This approach is also known as 'precision medicine' or 'personalised medicine'. 'Personalised health' goes further, taking preventive measures before disease occurs
More data for better medicines: Biomarkers and innovation
Biological markers make each person unique, just like fingerprints. From smartwatch data, blood pressure readings, blood sugar and other lab values, to genetic analyses, these markers move from a person's fingerprints. Used wisely, this information can predict the likelihood of developing certain diseases or responding to individualised treatments
Complex algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) are helping to discover patterns that were previously unnoticed. Health data should be used securely and protected from any misuse
Based on blood analyses, you can decode your own health!
Do you want to know everything?
A routine test can identify a genetic aberration associated with a rare genetic disease. Genetic tests are often unable to provide definitive answers and can lead to confusion and psychological uncertainty. This will only be effective if it is accompanied by medical guidance. However, not all genetic tests are organised online, sometimes leaving individuals with difficult decisions
Who is actually benefiting from personalised medicine today? An example of cancer treatment
Personalised medicine promotes a precise, rather than intuitive, approach to medical decision-making. In oncology, it increases effectiveness against cancer. For example, patients with breast cancer who have cells with too much growth factor will benefit from treatments that focus on this specific factor. If this mutation is not present, it is necessary to use another treatment method
Similar approaches are used to treat HIV, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, as well as for organ transplants.
Is it a financial incentive or cutting-edge technology?
Personalised treatments are expensive, but they may make it easier to avoid unnecessary and ineffective treatments, which could reduce costs in the long run. The dramatically reduced cost of genetic testing is allowing personalised medicine to become more commonplace. However, this type of treatment is not applicable to all areas of medicine. Start testing it with the TellSaleem Assistant.
