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Pot M, Spalletta O, Green S. Precision medicine in primary care: How GPs envision "old" and "new" forms of personalization. Soc Sci Med 2024; 358:117259. [PMID: 39181083 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Visions of precision or personalized medicine (PM) are gaining currency around the globe. While the potential of PM in specialist medicine has been in focus, primary care is also considered to be a fruitful area for the application of PM. "Low-tech" forms of personalization and attention to individual patients are already central features of primary care practice, and primary care thus constitutes an area in which "old" and "new" forms of personalization (may) come together. Against this backdrop, we explore general practitioners' (GPs) views on PM and how they envision the future of personalization in primary care. We draw on 45 qualitative interviews with GPs from Austria, Denmark, and the United States. Along the lines of major "promises" of PM-tailoring treatment decisions, improving disease prevention, empowering patients-we show that in some areas GPs consider PM to be a continuation or extension of existing practices of personalization, while in other cases, GPs envision that PM may negatively disrupt current forms of personalization in primary care. We suggest that this ambivalent stance towards PM can be understood through the lens of GPs' views on core values and practices of primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Pot
- University of Vienna, Department of Political Science, Austria; European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Austria.
| | - Olivia Spalletta
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Science Education, Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science and Technology Studies, Denmark
| | - Sara Green
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Science Education, Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science and Technology Studies, Denmark
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Ferlito B, De Proost M, Segers S. Navigating the Landscape of Digital Twins in Medicine: A Relational Bioethical Inquiry. Asian Bioeth Rev 2024; 16:471-481. [PMID: 39022372 PMCID: PMC11250715 DOI: 10.1007/s41649-024-00280-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
This perspective article explores the use of digital twins (DTs) in medicine, highlighting its capacity to simulate risks and personalize treatments while examining the emerging bioethical concerns. Central concerns include power dynamics, exclusion, and misrepresentation. We propose adopting a relational bioethical approach that advocates for a comprehensive assessment of DTs in medicine, extending beyond individual interactions to consider broader structural relations and varying levels of access to power. This can be achieved through two key relational recommendations: acknowledging the impact of uneven relational structures on access to medical care and promoting social justice by evaluating resource allocation. While DTs in medicine offer promising advancements, a relational bioethical lens may provide a nuanced understanding, fostering equitable, inclusive and responsible integration of DTs into medical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Ferlito
- Bioethics Institute Ghent, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michiel De Proost
- Bioethics Institute Ghent, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Seppe Segers
- Bioethics Institute Ghent, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Wadmann S, Johansen AB, Born AP, Kessel L. Infrastructuring precision medicine: Making gene therapies for rare diseases workable in practice. Soc Sci Med 2024; 351:116966. [PMID: 38759386 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Long viewed by social scientists as a future imaginary, precision medicine is now materializing in many healthcare systems in the form of new diagnostic practices and novel treatment modalities, such as gene therapies. Based on an ethnographic study of the introduction of the first two clinically available in-vivo gene therapies in the Danish healthcare system, we investigate what it takes to make these therapies workable in practice. Drawing on social science literature on infrastructuring, we describe the many forms of mundane work required to fit these therapies into regulatory frameworks, political processes and daily work practices in the healthcare system. Further, we observe how the processes of infrastructuring required to introduce the gene therapies into clinical practice had transformative implications as they redistributed roles and responsibilities among clinicians, pharmacists, procurement agencies and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Wadmann
- The Danish Center for Social Science Research - VIVE, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, DK-1052 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anna Brueckner Johansen
- The Danish Center for Social Science Research - VIVE, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, DK-1052 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alfred Peter Born
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Line Kessel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ayalew BD, Rodoshi ZN, Patel VK, Alresheq A, Babu HM, Aurangzeb RF, Aurangzeb RI, Mdivnishvili M, Rehman A, Shehryar A, Hassan A. Nuclear Cardiology in the Era of Precision Medicine: Tailoring Treatment to the Individual Patient. Cureus 2024; 16:e58960. [PMID: 38800181 PMCID: PMC11127713 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nuclear cardiology, employing advanced imaging technologies like positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), is instrumental in diagnosing, risk stratifying, and managing heart diseases. Concurrently, precision medicine advocates for treatments tailored to each patient's genetic, environmental, and lifestyle specificities, promising a revolution in personalized cardiovascular care. This review explores the synergy between nuclear cardiology and precision medicine, highlighting advancements, potential enhancements in patient outcomes, and the challenges and opportunities of this integration. We examined the evolution of nuclear cardiology technologies, including PET and SPECT, and their role in cardiovascular diagnostics. We also delved into the principles of precision medicine, focusing on genetic and molecular profiling, data analytics, and individualized treatment strategies. The integration of these domains aims to optimize diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic interventions, and prognostic evaluations in cardiovascular care. Advancements in molecular imaging and the application of artificial intelligence in nuclear cardiology have significantly improved the precision of diagnostics and treatment plans. The adoption of precision medicine principles in nuclear cardiology enables the customization of patient care, leveraging genetic information and biomarkers for enhanced therapeutic outcomes. However, challenges such as data integration, accessibility, cost, and the need for specialized expertise persist. The confluence of nuclear cardiology and precision medicine offers a promising pathway toward revolutionizing cardiovascular healthcare, providing more accurate, effective, and personalized patient care. Addressing existing challenges and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for realizing the full potential of this integration in improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biruk D Ayalew
- Internal Medicine, Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, ETH
| | | | | | - Alaa Alresheq
- Primary Care, United Nations for Relief and Works Agency, Ramallah, PSE
| | - Hisham M Babu
- Internal Medicine, Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeshwara (JSS) Medical College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSSAHER), Mysore, IND
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Aparicio A. Missing the "We" in Precision Medicine. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2024; 24:96-98. [PMID: 38394008 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2303140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
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Green S, Prainsack B, Sabatello M. The roots of (in)equity in precision medicine: gaps in the discourse. Per Med 2024; 21:5-9. [PMID: 38088178 PMCID: PMC10784620 DOI: 10.2217/pme-2023-0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Green
- Department of Science Education, Section for History & Philosophy of Science, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science & Technology Studies, University of Copenhagen, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Barbara Prainsack
- Department of Political Science, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
- School of Social & Political Sciences, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | - Maya Sabatello
- Department of Medicine, Center for Precision Medicine & Genomics, Columbia University, 10032 New York, USA
- Department of Medical Humanities & Ethics, Division of Ethics, Columbia University, 10032 New York, USA
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