Personalized medicine, also known as precision medicine, is an innovative approach to medical treatment and healthcare that tailors interventions to individual characteristics, needs, and preferences of patients. It involves the use of genetic, biomarker, and phenotypic information to determine the most effective treatments and preventions for specific individuals, rather than applying the same treatment universally.
This approach considers variations in genes, environment, and lifestyle, which can influence how patients respond to medications and therapies. By analyzing these factors, personalized medicine aims to improve the efficacy and safety of medical care, minimize adverse effects, and enhance patient outcomes. It is increasingly applied in fields such as oncology, where cancer treatments can be personalized based on the genetic makeup of a patient’s tumor, as well as in pharmacogenomics, which studies how genes affect a person’s response to drugs.
Overall, personalized medicine represents a shift from a one-size-fits-all methodology in healthcare to a more customized and targeted approach, recognizing that each patient’s unique biological makeup influences their health and treatment.