The Precision Medicine Initiative

The Precision Medicine Initiative: Data-Driven Treatments as Unique as Your Own Body

Jan 30, 2015

By: Lindsay Holst, Director of Digital Content for the Office of Digital Strategy, The White House

The President's 2016 budget includes investments in an emerging field of medicine that takes into account individual differences in people's genes, microbiomes, environments, and lifestyles -- making possible more effective, targeted treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes. That's incredibly significant, and this is why:
Right now, most medical treatments are designed for the average patient.
But one size doesn't fit all, and treatments that are very successful for some patients don't work for others. Think about it:

• If you need glasses, you aren't assigned a generic pair. You get a prescription customized for you.
• If you have an allergy, you get tested to determine exactly what you're allergic to.
• If you need a blood transfusion, it has to match your precise blood type.

Enter Precision Medicine: health care tailored to you.

READ MORE: The Precision Medicine Initiative