Medicine has always been an important sector for humans as it assists in providing a cure for every kind of illness. Over the past few decades, there has been a surge in the number of advancements within the field of medicine. The various technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and virtual reality are in the works to be implemented into the healthcare stream. Today, humans also have a vast array of treatments and medicines available as well, to help them heal and live a healthier life. One among such treatments that is still in its testing stages is Precision Medicine. This aims at targeting very specific areas affected within the person’s body and ensuring a cure for the same. It also aims at eliminating the disease from the roots. Although it is yet to be brought into full scale production, it is touted to be a game changer for the field of medicine.
Formulation of a Pragmatic Concept
For as long as science exists, there is always room for new discoveries and more medical advancements as well. The fields of bioinformatics and scalable gene sequencing have shown tremendous progress with regard to how medicine can be individualized. For this concept to be a success, it will require a lot of patience and for the researchers, providers and patients to work in unison. It is also a wonderful kick start where the potential for components such as genomics and digital imaging, combined with brain power of a pathologist and the abilities of IT have created an ideal environment to work on this advancement. The human genome comes with its own complexities and cracking the code for each of the 7 billion plus people in the world maybe a challenge but nonetheless, the mapping technology of the same has brought forth a surge of development in the field of targeted therapies.
When an individual falls ill, they go to a doctor to find a proper diagnosis and an effective cure. So far, generalized medicine has been finding the cure for a majority of the population. This way, the person is suggested a common medicine that others also have given for the same condition. But, there are various factors that may not allow a person’s body to heal from the illness. It maybe an allergic reaction to the components of the medicine suggested along with the dosage.
Precision medicine on the other hand will attempt to prevent the sickness before the person can be affected by it. This also results in earlier diagnosis for the patients and hence helps in giving them the required treatments. This uses family history to track down if an individual is susceptible to catching a particular illness. It acts as a time –saver and thus allows for the time to be utilized in developing even more potent drugs while also cutting costs. Apart from creating effective drugs, doctors may also be able to use this technology to find a diet that is exclusive to one individual and also test out the bacterial content in the digestive system in order track down any harmful ones. They will also be able to have on the spot tracking of blood sugar levels and heartbeat to detect any irregularities. Traditional medicine usually sees everyone as an equal when it comes to illnesses but precision medicine digs deeper to find the root cause. This tailors it according to the requirements of the people and hence allows them the potential to think of ways maintain people’s health.
Making a World of Difference for the World
Cancer is one of the most life – threatening disease that can strike at any given moment and a person may not even be aware of it. This illness occurs when a wide range of cells encounter mutations. A lot of times, solid proof of how it originated is also not available. But the constantly developing world of medicine may now be able to find the source of the illness and help in faster diagnosis hence allowing people the time to find proper treatments. A recent study showed that the signs of high risk cancer that weren’t capable of being detected in an MRI were found by analyzing genes. This was able to give a result of over 10 % of tumors that could now be removed before they cause any further harm to the people.
Precision medicine can also help the medical world in keeping organized records of the patients. Most people will be ready to have their records kept in a safe spot. This mixture of people’s data can help in research as well, as every person’s body is different, but matching symptoms or similar illnesses can be detected using this data. It will also be an efficient way of managing patients’ data such that in case of emergencies the files are easily accessible and the medical history will ensure timely treatment too. This in the future maybe implemented with the use of personal wearable devices such as the pacemaker, hearing aids or even the fitness bands that are available in a wide range today. This will also help doctors keep a track of their patients living patterns and help correct them from time to time. Furthermore it will also help in precisely predicting when a person may feel unwell, hence ensuring prompt action.
The medical world is progressing at an extremely fast pace and there are a number of innovations coming through and each of them is better than the one before. Precision medicine is one such advancement, if brought out on a larger scale can ensure betterment of people’s health and give them a chance to live better lives. It will help ensuring and implementing the saying –health is wealth.
– Anmol Preet Singh
