| aceutical and biotech companies are turning to the | | | | identify new disease subgroups and design drugs to |
| future of personalized medicine – the | | | | target these new subgroups. This personalized |
| personalized treatment and diagnosis of disease. In | | | | medicine approach includes genetic screening |
| the past, a “one size fits all” approach | | | | programs which properly diagnose specific diseases. |
| to medicine hasn’t been the best solution. | | | | This screening process is also vital for doctors when |
| Scientific research didn’t take into account | | | | choosing proper medication/dosage for patients. |
| the influence of genes on an individual’s health | | | | Doctors and patients work together to better treat |
| and well-being. Personalized medicine has the potential | | | | and manage disease. Some patients may experience |
| to vastly improve the way healthcare issues are | | | | adverse reactions to medication due to their genetic |
| managed, especially concerning the diagnosis and | | | | variation (which could cause serious side effects). |
| treatment of disease. | | | | However, a patient with a different variation may |
| Pharmaceutical consultants state that personalized | | | | not experience any side effects. |
| medicine offers three main benefits: | | | | Personalized medicine analyzes natural variations in |
| •Improved diagnosis and early detection of | | | | people – their dietary/lifestyle habits, |
| disease | | | | environmental factors, stress levels and their DNA |
| •Efficient drug development | | | | make-up. These factors play vital roles in analyzing |
| •Accurate, cost-effective therapies | | | | people’s health, and determining if they are |
| Pharmaceutical and biotech companies play significant | | | | more susceptible to disease. For example, natural |
| roles in personalized medicine (or pharmacogenomics). | | | | variations in genes make certain people pre-disposed |
| Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a person | | | | to certain types of cancer. |
| reacts to medication based on their individual genetic | | | | Molecular analysis also determines which medication |
| background. | | | | works best to treat early stages of certain cancers |
| Personalized medicine is a collaborative effort | | | | (such as breast and colon cancers). For patients who |
| amongst government and international agencies such | | | | are predisposed to these cancers, doctors can assist |
| as the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) and NIH | | | | patients with lifestyle/health changes to reduce their |
| (National Institute of Health). Drug and genetic test | | | | cancer risk. |
| manufacturers and health care providers also need to | | | | Pharmaceutical and biotech companies spend years |
| work together to implement tests and therapies. | | | | and billions of dollars on R&D before drugs hit |
| One of the biggest leaders fighting the personalized | | | | the market. Pharmacogenomics not only saves these |
| medicine cause is SAEC (Serious Adverse Events | | | | companies money, but they help these companies |
| Consortium). Along with the FDA, SAEC unites | | | | better focus on their R&D. |
| government agencies, academic institutions and | | | | If these companies know a person has a genetic |
| pharmaceutical companies. Their mission is to validate | | | | variation towards a drug that gives them an adverse |
| DNA-variants (which is useful in predicting risks | | | | reaction, they are excluded from clinical trials. This not |
| associated with drug-related adverse events). Their | | | | only targets patients who can be really helped by the |
| collective research focuses on the impact that genes | | | | drug, but it also speeds up the clinical trial process. |
| have on people’s response to medication. | | | | Any pharmaceutical consultant will agree that, as a |
| Pharmacogenomics paves the way for the | | | | result, the pharmaceutical industry plays an integral |
| development of life-saving drugs. By determining | | | | role in the future of personalized medicine. |
| biomarkers, pharmaceutical and biotech companies | | | | |