Challenge of Personalized Medicine in the Genomic Era

Abstract

"Personalized medicine" for better clinical care by application of genomic information of individual patients will be a global challenge for 21 century of "genomic era" esp. in Korea where provision of clinical genetic service is inadequate even for existing currant demand. Genomics based knowledge and tools can make possible to approach each patient as unique biological individual and to lead the change of paradigm of medical practice towards predictive. With advancement of genomics, many genetic tests not only for rare single gene disease but also common multifactorial disease, including suseptability genetic test for presymtomatic individual and genetic test for drug response become widely available and personalized medicine will face the challenge assisting patients to make appropriate, wise use of genetic risk assessment. Therefore a major challenge of genomic medicine lies in understanding and communicating disease risk in order to facilitate and support the pts and their family in informed decision making. Thus, establishment of Health Care system with provision of genetic counseling as an integral part of health care service, in addition to genomic literacy of health care providers is vital to meet the challenge. The promise of personalized medicine in the era of genomics for improvement of health care, can yet to be realized depending upon not only further development of next generation sequencing technology and affordable sequencing test cost, but also the readiness of educated medical community with clinical practice guidelines of genetic counseling for genetic testing and policy development concerning ethical, legal and social issues of genomic medicine.