Chapter 8 Towards precision medicine

Publication date: 2018 Source:Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Volume 147 Author(s): Tanya Bardakjian, Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre The concept of precision medicine, also referred to as individualized or personalized medicine, has recently gained traction in scientific, medical, and public spheres, and is frequently mentioned as the next model of healthcare delivery. Its goal is to integrate unique information obtained from a given patient to customize the care provided to achieve the best possible outcome. Although precision medicine is not fully implemented yet, its application is slowly infiltrating clinical practice, and the dream of individualizing healthcare to each patient is now closer to being fulfilled. This chapter summarizes the current status of personalized medicine in the neurology clinic, including precision diagnostics and individualized therapeutics. Subsequently, we address the main hurdles that the healthcare community needs to overcome to expand this model of healthcare delivery and predict how this evolving field will shape future neurologic practice.

Source: Handbook of Clinical Neurology - January 9, 2018 Category: Neurology Source Type: research