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Erdmann A, Rehmann-Sutter C, Bozzaro C. Patients' and professionals' views related to ethical issues in precision medicine: a mixed research synthesis. BMC Med Ethics 2021; 22:116. [PMID: 34465328 PMCID: PMC8406914 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-021-00682-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Precision medicine development is driven by the possibilities of next generation sequencing, information technology and artificial intelligence and thus, raises a number of ethical questions. Empirical studies have investigated such issues from the perspectives of health care professionals, researchers and patients. We synthesize the results from these studies in this review. METHODS We used a systematic strategy to search, screen and assess the literature for eligibility related to our research question. The initial search for empirical studies in five data bases provided 665 different records and we selected 92 of these publications for inclusion in this review. Data were extracted in a spreadsheet and categorized into different topics representing the views on ethical issues in precision medicine. RESULTS Many patients and professionals expect high benefits from precision medicine and have a positive attitude towards it. However, patients and professionals also perceive some risks. Commonly perceived risks include: lack of evidence for accuracy of tests and efficacy of treatments; limited knowledge of patients, which makes informed consent more difficult; possible unavailability of access to precision medicine for underprivileged people and ethnic minorities; misuse of data by insurance companies and employers, potential of racial stigmatization due to genetic information; unwanted communication of incidental findings; changes in doctor-patient-relationship through focusing on data; and the problem that patients could feel under pressure to optimize their health. CONCLUSIONS National legislation and guidelines already minimize many risks associated with precision medicine. However, from our perspective some problems require more attention. Should hopes for precision medicine's benefits be fulfilled, then the ethical principle of justice would require an unlimited access to precision medicine for all people. The potential for autonomous patients' decisions must be greatly enhanced by improvements in patient education. Harm from test results must be avoided in any case by the highest possible data security level and communication guidelines. Changes in the doctor-patient relationship and the impact of precision medicine on the quality of life should be further investigated. Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of precision medicine should be further examined, in order to avoid malinvestment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Erdmann
- Institute for Experimental Medicine, Medical Ethics Working Group, Kiel University (CAU), Kiel, Germany.
| | | | - Claudia Bozzaro
- Institute for Experimental Medicine, Medical Ethics Working Group, Kiel University (CAU), Kiel, Germany
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Deverka PA, Gilmore D, Richmond J, Smith Z, Mangrum R, Koenig BA, Cook-Deegan R, Villanueva AG, Majumder MA, McGuire AL. Hopeful and Concerned: Public Input on Building a Trustworthy Medical Information Commons. THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS 2019; 47:70-87. [PMID: 30994071 PMCID: PMC6730638 DOI: 10.1177/1073110519840486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A medical information commons (MIC) is a networked data environment utilized for research and clinical applications. At three deliberations across the U.S., we engaged 75 adults in two-day facilitated discussions on the ethical and social issues inherent to sharing data with an MIC. Deliberants made recommendations regarding opt-in consent, transparent data policies, public representation on MIC governing boards, and strict data security and privacy protection. Community engagement is critical to earning the public's trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Deverka
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Dierdre Gilmore
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Jennifer Richmond
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Zachary Smith
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Rikki Mangrum
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Barbara A Koenig
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Robert Cook-Deegan
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Angela G Villanueva
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Mary A Majumder
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
| | - Amy L McGuire
- Patricia A. Deverka, M.D., M.S., M.B.E., is Director, Value Evidence and Outcomes at Geisinger National Precision Health, where she focuses on demonstrating the value of genomic sequencing for health systems and policymakers. Dierdre Gilmore, M.A., is a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Gilmore earned a MA in Medical Anthropology at the University of London. Jennifer Richmond, M.S.P.H., is a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Gillings School of Global Public Health. Zachary Smith is a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research. Rikki Mangrum, M.L.S., is a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. Barbara A. Koenig, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics and Medical Anthropology, based at the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. She serves as Director of the UCSF Program in Bioethics. Robert Cook-Deegan, M.D., is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. He is a physician and molecular biologist who turned to policy and then entered academe through Georgetown, Stanford, and Duke Universities before joining ASU. Angela G. Villanueva, M.P.H., is a Research Associate at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Mary A. Majumder, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine. Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. McGuire serves on the program committee for the Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics and is immediate past president of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors
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Beskow LM, Hammack CM, Brelsford KM. Thought leader perspectives on benefits and harms in precision medicine research. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207842. [PMID: 30475858 PMCID: PMC6258115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine research is underway to identify targeted approaches to improving health and preventing disease. However, such endeavors raise significant privacy and confidentiality concerns. The objective of this study was to elucidate the potential benefits and harms associated with precision medicine research through in-depth interviews with a diverse group of thought leaders, including primarily U.S.-based experts and scholars in the areas of ethics, genome research, health law, historically-disadvantaged populations, informatics, and participant-centric perspectives, as well as government officials and human subjects protections leaders. The results suggest the prospect of an array of individual and societal benefits, as well as physical, dignitary, group, economic, psychological, and legal harms. Relative to the way risks and harms are commonly described in consent forms for precision medicine research, the thought leaders we interviewed arguably emphasized a somewhat different set of issues. The return of individual research results, harm to socially-identifiable groups, the value-dependent nature of many benefits and harms, and the risks to the research enterprise itself emerged as important cross-cutting themes. Our findings highlight specific challenges that warrant concentrated care during the design, conduct, dissemination, and translation of precision medicine research and in the development of consent materials and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Beskow
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Catherine M. Hammack
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Kathleen M. Brelsford
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Krzyszczyk P, Acevedo A, Davidoff EJ, Timmins LM, Marrero-Berrios I, Patel M, White C, Lowe C, Sherba JJ, Hartmanshenn C, O'Neill KM, Balter ML, Fritz ZR, Androulakis IP, Schloss RS, Yarmush ML. The growing role of precision and personalized medicine for cancer treatment. TECHNOLOGY 2018; 6:79-100. [PMID: 30713991 PMCID: PMC6352312 DOI: 10.1142/s2339547818300020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a devastating disease that takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. Due to disease heterogeneity, standard treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, are effective in only a subset of the patient population. Tumors can have different underlying genetic causes and may express different proteins in one patient versus another. This inherent variability of cancer lends itself to the growing field of precision and personalized medicine (PPM). There are many ongoing efforts to acquire PPM data in order to characterize molecular differences between tumors. Some PPM products are already available to link these differences to an effective drug. It is clear that PPM cancer treatments can result in immense patient benefits, and companies and regulatory agencies have begun to recognize this. However, broader changes to the healthcare and insurance systems must be addressed if PPM is to become part of standard cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Krzyszczyk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Alison Acevedo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Erika J Davidoff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Lauren M Timmins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ileana Marrero-Berrios
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Misaal Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Corina White
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Christopher Lowe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Joseph J Sherba
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Clara Hartmanshenn
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Kate M O'Neill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Max L Balter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Zachary R Fritz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ioannis P Androulakis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Rene S Schloss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Martin L Yarmush
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Brall C, Maeckelberghe E, Porz R, Makhoul J, Schröder-Bäck P. Research Ethics 2.0: New Perspectives on Norms, Values, and Integrity in Genomic Research in Times of Even Scarcer Resources. Public Health Genomics 2017; 20:27-35. [PMID: 28288472 PMCID: PMC5516405 DOI: 10.1159/000462960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Research ethics anew gained importance due to the changing scientific landscape and increasing demands and competition in the academic field. These changes are further exaggerated because of scarce(r) resources in some countries on the one hand and advances in genomics on the other. In this paper, we will highlight the current challenges thereof to scientific integrity. To mark key developments in research ethics, we will distinguish between what we call research ethics 1.0 and research ethics 2.0. Whereas research ethics 1.0 focuses on individual integrity and informed consent, research ethics 2.0 entails social scientific integrity within a broader perspective of a research network. This research network can be regarded as a network of responsibilities in which every stakeholder involved has to jointly meet the ethical challenges posed to research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Brall
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Clinical Ethics Unit, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Inselgruppe AG, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Els Maeckelberghe
- Institute for Medical Education, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rouven Porz
- Clinical Ethics Unit, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Inselgruppe AG, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jihad Makhoul
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Peter Schröder-Bäck
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Faculty for Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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Vos S, van Delden JJM, van Diest PJ, Bredenoord AL. Moral Duties of Genomics Researchers: Why Personalized Medicine Requires a Collective Approach. Trends Genet 2016; 33:118-128. [PMID: 28017398 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2016.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Advances in genome sequencing together with the introduction of personalized medicine offer promising new avenues for research and precision treatment, particularly in the field of oncology. At the same time, the convergence of genomics, bioinformatics, and the collection of human tissues and patient data creates novel moral duties for researchers. After all, unprecedented amounts of potentially sensitive information are being generated. Over time, traditional research ethics principles aimed at protecting individual participants have become supplemented with social obligations related to the interests of society and the research enterprise at large, illustrating that genomic medicine is also a social endeavor. In this review we provide a comprehensive assembly of moral duties that have been attributed to genomics researchers and offer suggestions for responsible advancement of personalized genomic cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Vos
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Johannes J M van Delden
- Department of Medical Humanities, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J van Diest
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annelien L Bredenoord
- Department of Medical Humanities, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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7
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O'Doherty KC, Christofides E, Yen J, Bentzen HB, Burke W, Hallowell N, Koenig BA, Willison DJ. If you build it, they will come: unintended future uses of organised health data collections. BMC Med Ethics 2016; 17:54. [PMID: 27600117 PMCID: PMC5011895 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-016-0137-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health research increasingly relies on organized collections of health data and biological samples. There are many types of sample and data collections that are used for health research, though these are collected for many purposes, not all of which are health-related. These collections exist under different jurisdictional and regulatory arrangements and include: 1) Population biobanks, cohort studies, and genome databases 2) Clinical and public health data 3) Direct-to-consumer genetic testing 4) Social media 5) Fitness trackers, health apps, and biometric data sensors Ethical, legal, and social challenges of such collections are well recognized, but there has been limited attention to the broader societal implications of the existence of these collections. DISCUSSION Although health research conducted using these collections is broadly recognized as beneficent, secondary uses of these data and samples may be controversial. We examine both documented and hypothetical scenarios of secondary uses of health data and samples. In particular, we focus on the use of health data for purposes of: Forensic investigations Civil lawsuits Identification of victims of mass casualty events Denial of entry for border security and immigration Making health resource rationing decisions Facilitating human rights abuses in autocratic regimes CONCLUSIONS Current safeguards relating to the use of health data and samples include research ethics oversight and privacy laws. These safeguards have a strong focus on informed consent and anonymization, which are aimed at the protection of the individual research subject. They are not intended to address broader societal implications of health data and sample collections. As such, existing arrangements are insufficient to protect against subversion of health databases for non-sanctioned secondary uses, or to provide guidance for reasonable but controversial secondary uses. We are concerned that existing debate in the scholarly literature and beyond has not sufficiently recognized the secondary data uses we outline in this paper. Our main purpose, therefore, is to raise awareness of the potential for unforeseen and unintended consequences, in particular negative consequences, of the increased availability and development of health data collections for research, by providing a comprehensive review of documented and hypothetical non-health research uses of such data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran C O'Doherty
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Emily Christofides
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Jeffery Yen
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Heidi Beate Bentzen
- Centre for Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Cancer Genomics Consortium, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wylie Burke
- Department of Bioethics & Humanities, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Nina Hallowell
- Ethox Centre, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Barbara A Koenig
- UCSF Bioethics, Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Donald J Willison
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation | Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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8
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Lipworth W, Axler R. Towards a bioethics of innovation. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2016; 42:445-449. [PMID: 27015740 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2015-103048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, it has become almost axiomatic that biomedical research and clinical practice should be 'innovative'-that is, that they should be always evolving and directed towards the production, translation and implementation of new technologies and practices. While this drive towards innovation in biomedicine might be beneficial, it also raises serious moral, legal, economic and sociopolitical questions that require further scrutiny. In this article, we argue that biomedical innovation needs to be accompanied by a dedicated 'bioethics of innovation' that attends systematically to the goals, process and outcomes of biomedical innovation as objects of critical inquiry. Using the example of personalised or precision medicine, we then suggest a preliminary framework for a bioethics of innovation, based on the research policy initiative of 'Responsible Innovation'. We invite and encourage critiques of this framework and hope that this will provoke a challenging and enriching new bioethical discourse.
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9
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Woolley JP, McGowan ML, Teare HJA, Coathup V, Fishman JR, Settersten RA, Sterckx S, Kaye J, Juengst ET. Citizen science or scientific citizenship? Disentangling the uses of public engagement rhetoric in national research initiatives. BMC Med Ethics 2016; 17:33. [PMID: 27260081 PMCID: PMC4893207 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-016-0117-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The language of “participant-driven research,” “crowdsourcing” and “citizen science” is increasingly being used to encourage the public to become involved in research ventures as both subjects and scientists. Originally, these labels were invoked by volunteer research efforts propelled by amateurs outside of traditional research institutions and aimed at appealing to those looking for more “democratic,” “patient-centric,” or “lay” alternatives to the professional science establishment. As mainstream translational biomedical research requires increasingly larger participant pools, however, corporate, academic and governmental research programs are embracing this populist rhetoric to encourage wider public participation. Discussion We examine the ethical and social implications of this recruitment strategy. We begin by surveying examples of “citizen science” outside of biomedicine, as paradigmatic of the aspirations this democratizing rhetoric was originally meant to embody. Next, we discuss the ways these aspirations become articulated in the biomedical context, with a view to drawing out the multiple and potentially conflicting meanings of “public engagement” when citizens are also the subjects of the science. We then illustrate two uses of public engagement rhetoric to gain public support for national biomedical research efforts: its post-hoc use in the “care.data” project of the National Health Service in England, and its proactive uses in the “Precision Medicine Initiative” of the United States White House. These examples will serve as the basis for a normative analysis, discussing the potential ethical and social ramifications of this rhetoric. Summary We pay particular attention to the implications of government strategies that cultivate the idea that members of the public have a civic duty to participate in government-sponsored research initiatives. We argue that such initiatives should draw from policy frameworks that support normative analysis of the role of citizenry. And, we conclude it is imperative to make visible and clear the full spectrum of meanings of “citizen science,” the contexts in which it is used, and its demands with respect to participation, engagement, and governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Patrick Woolley
- University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TD, UK
| | - Michelle L McGowan
- The Pennsylvania State University, 128B Willard Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Harriet J A Teare
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD, UK
| | - Victoria Coathup
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD, UK
| | - Jennifer R Fishman
- McGill University, Social Studies of Medicine, 3647 Peel, Room 207, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1X1, Canada
| | - Richard A Settersten
- School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 123 Women's Building, Corvallis, OR, 97331-8577, USA
| | - Sigrid Sterckx
- Department of Philosophy & Moral Sciences Ghent University, Blandijnberg 2, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Jane Kaye
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD, UK.
| | - Eric T Juengst
- 333 MacNider Hall, Campus Box 7240, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 333S. Columbia Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7240, USA
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Millett S, O’Leary P. Revisiting consent for health information databanks. RESEARCH ETHICS 2015. [DOI: 10.1177/1747016115587964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This paper argues that specific individual informed consent and other forms of consent predicated on a right to autonomy may not in all circumstances be appropriate for the establishment and use of large data sets of health information. We suggest that there are inherent failings in such an approach, shortcomings that we analyse below. We argue that individuals share an obligation to contribute their data, as doing so is cost-free (however cost is construed) and benefits accrue to the population as a whole. Large health data sets can be considered public goods – goods that are non-rival in consumption (they are not depleted in being used, so others are not prevented from using them) and in some cases non-exclusive in use (e.g. when large datasets of non-identifiable information are publicly-accessible without cost, such as some Australian Bureau of Statistics data) – and contributing to these goods may be an obligation, the meeting of which allows citizens to invest in knowledge infrastructure. The approach argued for here is a variation of a communitarian ethic in which people have an obligation to contribute their data but have no correlative right to expect or receive an individual benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter O’Leary
- Curtin University and University of Western Australia, Australia
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11
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Kaye J, Whitley EA, Lund D, Morrison M, Teare H, Melham K. Dynamic consent: a patient interface for twenty-first century research networks. Eur J Hum Genet 2015; 23:141-6. [PMID: 24801761 PMCID: PMC4130658 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2014.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 315] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomedical research is being transformed through the application of information technologies that allow ever greater amounts of data to be shared on an unprecedented scale. However, the methods for involving participants have not kept pace with changes in research capability. In an era when information is shared digitally at the global level, mechanisms of informed consent remain static, paper-based and organised around national boundaries and legal frameworks. Dynamic consent (DC) is both a specific project and a wider concept that offers a new approach to consent; one designed to meet the needs of the twenty-first century research landscape. At the heart of DC is a personalised, digital communication interface that connects researchers and participants, placing participants at the heart of decision making. The interface facilitates two-way communication to stimulate a more engaged, informed and scientifically literate participant population where individuals can tailor and manage their own consent preferences. The technical architecture of DC includes components that can securely encrypt sensitive data and allow participant consent preferences to travel with their data and samples when they are shared with third parties. In addition to improving transparency and public trust, this system benefits researchers by streamlining recruitment and enabling more efficient participant recontact. DC has mainly been developed in biobanking contexts, but it also has potential application in other domains for a variety of purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Kaye
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Edgar A Whitley
- Information Systems and Innovation Group, Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - David Lund
- HW Communications Ltd, Parkfield, Lancaster, UK
| | - Michael Morrison
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Harriet Teare
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Karen Melham
- Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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12
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Kosseim P, Dove ES, Baggaley C, Meslin EM, Cate FH, Kaye J, Harris JR, Knoppers BM. Building a data sharing model for global genomic research. Genome Biol 2014; 15:430. [PMID: 25221857 PMCID: PMC4282015 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-014-0430-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Data sharing models designed to facilitate global business provide insights for improving transborder genomic data sharing. We argue that a flexible, externally endorsed, multilateral arrangement, combined with an objective third-party assurance mechanism, can effectively balance privacy with the need to share genomic data globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Kosseim
- />Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H3 Canada
| | - Edward S Dove
- />Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G1 Canada
| | - Carman Baggaley
- />Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H3 Canada
| | - Eric M Meslin
- />IU Center for Bioethics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
- />Center for Law, Ethics, and Applied Research in Health Information, Bloomington, IN 47408 USA
| | - Fred H Cate
- />Center for Law, Ethics, and Applied Research in Health Information, Bloomington, IN 47408 USA
- />Maurer School of Law, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
| | - Jane Kaye
- />HeLEX-Centre for Health, Law and Emerging Technologies, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF UK
| | - Jennifer R Harris
- />Division of Epidemiology, Department of Genes and Environment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404, Nydalen, Oslo 0403 Norway
| | - Bartha M Knoppers
- />Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0G1 Canada
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13
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Browman GP, Vollmann J, Virani A, Schildmann J. Improving the quality of 'personalized medicine' research and practice: through an ethical lens. Per Med 2014; 11:413-423. [PMID: 29783476 DOI: 10.2217/pme.14.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The evolving vision for personalized medicine (PM) implies a systems approach to the re-organization of healthcare and how we define the boundary between care and research. Calls for scaling PM up to a systems level requires a broad definition of quality not restricted to how the different elements of the system perform (e.g., laboratory quality control, biomarker prediction, biobanking, information systems, data sharing and security, and clinical outcomes) but how these elements work together to optimize population relevant quality indicators - effectiveness, affordability, system sustainability, public confidence and accessibility. Examples of PM-associated information technologies and innovative clinical evaluation methods with a focus on cancer medicine are provided to demonstrate how quality and ethics are inextricably linked to a PM systems approach. While current, traditional ethical standards sometimes challenge the PM approach, PM is challenging us to review ethical standards and improve ethical frameworks to meet new and future realities.
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Affiliation(s)
- George P Browman
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, Canada.,The School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jochen Vollmann
- Institute for Medical Ethics & History of Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Alice Virani
- Centre for Applied Ethics, University of British Columbia BC Children's & Women's Hospitals, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jan Schildmann
- Institute for Medical Ethics & History of Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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14
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Takezawa Y, Kato K, Oota H, Caulfield T, Fujimoto A, Honda S, Kamatani N, Kawamura S, Kawashima K, Kimura R, Matsumae H, Saito A, Savage PE, Seguchi N, Shimizu K, Terao S, Yamaguchi-Kabata Y, Yasukouchi A, Yoneda M, Tokunaga K. Human genetic research, race, ethnicity and the labeling of populations: recommendations based on an interdisciplinary workshop in Japan. BMC Med Ethics 2014; 15:33. [PMID: 24758583 PMCID: PMC4018961 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-15-33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A challenge in human genome research is how to describe the populations being studied. The use of improper and/or imprecise terms has the potential to both generate and reinforce prejudices and to diminish the clinical value of the research. The issue of population descriptors has not attracted enough academic attention outside North America and Europe. In January 2012, we held a two-day workshop, the first of its kind in Japan, to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue between scholars in the humanities, social sciences, medical sciences, and genetics to begin an ongoing discussion of the social and ethical issues associated with population descriptors. DISCUSSION Through the interdisciplinary dialogue, we confirmed that the issue of race, ethnicity and genetic research has not been extensively discussed in certain Asian communities and other regions. We have found, for example, the continued use of the problematic term, "Mongoloid" or continental terms such as "European," "African," and "Asian," as population descriptors in genetic studies. We, therefore, introduce guidelines for reporting human genetic studies aimed at scientists and researchers in these regions. CONCLUSION We need to anticipate the various potential social and ethical problems entailed in population descriptors. Scientists have a social responsibility to convey their research findings outside of their communities as accurately as possible, and to consider how the public may perceive and respond to the descriptors that appear in research papers and media articles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuko Takezawa
- Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
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15
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Revisiting respect for persons in genomic research. Genes (Basel) 2014; 5:1-12. [PMID: 24705284 PMCID: PMC3978508 DOI: 10.3390/genes5010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Revised: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The risks and benefits of research using large databases of personal information are evolving in an era of ubiquitous, internet-based data exchange. In addition, information technology has facilitated a shift in the relationship between individuals and their personal data, enabling increased individual control over how (and how much) personal data are used in research, and by whom. This shift in control has created new opportunities to engage members of the public as partners in the research enterprise on more equal and transparent terms. Here, we consider how some of the technological advances driving and paralleling developments in genomics can also be used to supplement the practice of informed consent with other strategies to ensure that the research process as a whole honors the notion of respect for persons upon which human research subjects protections are premised. Further, we suggest that technological advances can help the research enterprise achieve a more thoroughgoing respect for persons than was possible when current policies governing human subject research were developed. Questions remain about the best way to revise policy to accommodate these changes.
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16
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Melham K, Moraia LB, Mitchell C, Morrison M, Teare H, Kaye J. The evolution of withdrawal: negotiating research relationships in biobanking. LIFE SCIENCES, SOCIETY AND POLICY 2014; 10:16. [PMID: 26573981 PMCID: PMC4512976 DOI: 10.1186/s40504-014-0016-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The right to withdraw from research, along with the necessity of adequately informed consent, is at the heart of the post-Nuremburg code of ethical safeguards in biomedical research on human participants. As biomedical research moves away from direct interventional studies towards research using networks of linked human tissue samples and data, however, questions arise about what withdrawal can and should mean in these new contexts. Some of the more expansive traditional understandings, such as the right to withdraw from a study 'at any time' are limited in practice by the nature of biobank- supported research, particularly where it makes possible widespread dissemination and ongoing reuse of data. It is time for a more nuanced, granular arrangement for withdrawal, appropriate to the ongoing relationships between participants and long-term biobanking enterprises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Melham
- Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | | | - Colin Mitchell
- Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | - Michael Morrison
- Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | - Harriet Teare
- Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | - Jane Kaye
- Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
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17
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Williams PH, Nemeth LS, Sanner JE, Frazier LQ. Thematic analysis of cardiac care patients' explanations for declining contribution to a genomic research-based biobank. Am J Crit Care 2013; 22:320-7. [PMID: 23817821 DOI: 10.4037/ajcc2013838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health care delivery systems increasingly ask patients to contribute biological samples for future genomic-based health research during critical care admissions, as the result of genome-based research requirements of unprecedented large sample sizes. Few reports describe patients' perceptions and responses to actual biobanking approaches in clinical settings. A qualitative study was conducted to explore 568 cardiac care patients' explanations of why they declined to contribute their samples to a future genomic research biobank. OBJECTIVES To (1) identify themes emerging from explanations for declining contribution to the research biobanking initiative and (2) determine how the content informs the stewardship conceptual framework that addresses evidence-based clinical ethics practices in genomic and genetic research biobanking. METHODS This qualitative study used an analytic method that combines inductive and deductive approaches to identify themes in patients' explanations for declining to contribute to a research biobank initiative. The hybrid design has relevance to health services research that seeks to develop taxonomy, themes, and theory. RESULTS Inductive approaches showed that themes of intrusion and autonomy dominated explanations. Deductive approaches affirmed previously proposed elements of a stewardship conceptual framework that addresses ethics in biobanking. CONCLUSION Research in understanding patients' perceptions can guide nursing and biobank practices in developing best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Holtzclaw Williams
- Pamela Holtzclaw Williams is an assistant professor and Lynne S. Nemeth is an associate professor in the College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Jennifer E. Sanner is an assistant professor at the Houston School of Nursing: Center for Nursing Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Lorraine Q. Frazier is a professor and dean at the College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Lynne S. Nemeth
- Pamela Holtzclaw Williams is an assistant professor and Lynne S. Nemeth is an associate professor in the College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Jennifer E. Sanner is an assistant professor at the Houston School of Nursing: Center for Nursing Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Lorraine Q. Frazier is a professor and dean at the College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Jennifer E. Sanner
- Pamela Holtzclaw Williams is an assistant professor and Lynne S. Nemeth is an associate professor in the College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Jennifer E. Sanner is an assistant professor at the Houston School of Nursing: Center for Nursing Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Lorraine Q. Frazier is a professor and dean at the College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Lorraine Q. Frazier
- Pamela Holtzclaw Williams is an assistant professor and Lynne S. Nemeth is an associate professor in the College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Jennifer E. Sanner is an assistant professor at the Houston School of Nursing: Center for Nursing Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Lorraine Q. Frazier is a professor and dean at the College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas
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18
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O’Doherty KC, Burgess MM. Public deliberation to develop ethical norms and inform policy for biobanks: Lessons learnt and challenges remaining. RESEARCH ETHICS REVIEW 2013. [DOI: 10.1177/1747016113488858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Public participation is increasingly an aspect of policy development in many areas, and the governance of biomedical research is no exception. There are good reasons for this: biomedical research relies on public funding; it relies on biological samples and information from large numbers of patients and healthy individuals; and the outcomes of biomedical research are dramatically and irrevocably changing our society. There is thus arguably a democratic imperative for including public values in strategic decisions about the governance of biomedical research. However, it is not immediately clear how this might best be achieved. While different approaches have been proposed and trialled, we focus here on the use of public deliberation as a mechanism to develop input for policy on biomedical research. We begin by explaining the rationale for conducting public deliberation in biomedical research. We focus, in particular, on the ELS (ethical, legal, social) aspects of human tissue biobanking. The last few years have seen the development of methods for conducting public deliberation on these issues in several jurisdictions, for the purpose of incorporating lay public voices in biobanking policy. We explain the theoretical foundation underlying the notion of deliberation, and outline the main lessons and capacities that have been developed in the area of conducting public deliberation on biobanks. We next provide an analysis of the theoretical and practical challenges that we feel still need to be addressed for the use of public deliberation to guide ethical norms and governance of biomedical research. We examine the issues of: (i) linking the outcomes of deliberation to tangible action; (ii) the mandate under which a deliberation is conducted; (iii) the relative weight that should be accorded to a public deliberative forum vs other relevant voices; (iv) evaluating the quality of deliberation; and (5) the problem of scalability of minipublics.
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Abstract
Clinical genomic research faces increasing challenges in establishing participant privacy and consent processes that facilitate meaningful choice and communication capacity for longitudinal and secondary research uses. There are an evolving range of participant-centric initiatives that combine web-based informatics tools with new models of engagement and research collaboration. These emerging initiatives may become valuable approaches to support large-scale and longitudinal research studies. We highlight and discuss four types of emerging initiatives for engaging and sustaining participation in research.
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Croft D, Jay SJ, Meslin EM, Gaffney MM, Odell JD. Perspective: is it time for advocacy training in medical education? ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2012; 87:1165-1170. [PMID: 22836845 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0b013e31826232bc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
As the modern medical system becomes increasingly complex, a debate has arisen over the place of advocacy efforts within the medical profession. The authors argue that advocacy can help physicians fulfill their social contract. For physicians to become competent in patient-centered, clinical, administrative, or legislative advocacy, they require professional training. Many professional organizations have called for curricular reform to meet society's health needs during the past 30 years, and the inclusion of advocacy training in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education is supported on both pragmatic and ethical grounds. Undergraduate medical education, especially, is an ideal time for this training because a standard competency can be instilled across all specialties. Although the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education includes advocacy training in curricula for residency programs, few medical schools or residency programs have advocacy electives. By understanding the challenges of the health care system and how to change it for the better, physicians can experience increased professional satisfaction and effectiveness in improving patient care, systems-based practice, and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Croft
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756, USA.
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Molster C, Maxwell S, Youngs L, Potts A, Kyne G, Hope F, Dawkins H, O'Leary P. An Australian approach to the policy translation of deliberated citizen perspectives on biobanking. Public Health Genomics 2011; 15:82-91. [PMID: 22179074 DOI: 10.1159/000334104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Accepted: 09/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deliberative public engagement is recommended for policy development in contested ethical areas. Scholars provide little guidance on how deliberative outputs can be translated to policy. This paper describes the processes we undertook to design a deliberative public forum for citizens to develop recommendations on biobanking that were adopted as health policy. METHOD The 4-day forum, held in 2008 in Perth, Western Australia, was designed in collaboration with academic experts. Deliberant recommendations were recorded in a formal report presented to policy-makers. Deliberations were audio-taped and transcribed. Translation involved transcript analyses, comparison of recommendations to other stakeholder views and post-forum consultations. RESULTS Sixteen citizens made recommendations on ethical, legal and social issues related to biobanking. Most recommendations were translated into biobanking guidelines, with which Western Australia government health agencies must comply. The value of deliberative public participation in policy-making was most evident when trade-offs in competing interests, hopes and concerns were required. Translation issues included the impact of a small number of participants with limited socio-demographic diversity on procedural and policy legitimacy. CONCLUSIONS Assessing the sufficiency of diversity in citizen representation was central to the deliberation-to-translation process. Institutional context facilitated the uptake of deliberation and translation processes. The use of these processes influenced policy substance and credibility among stakeholders and contributed to the state government directive that policy compliance be mandatory. We urge others to publish deliberation-to-translation processes so that best-practices may be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caron Molster
- Office of Population Health Genomics, Department of Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia.
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Dhar SU, Alford RL, Nelson EA, Potocki L. Enhancing exposure to genetics and genomics through an innovative medical school curriculum. Genet Med 2011; 14:163-7. [DOI: 10.1038/gim.0b013e31822dd7d4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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Meslin EM, Garba I. Biobanking and public health: is a human rights approach the tie that binds? Hum Genet 2011; 130:451-63. [PMID: 21761137 PMCID: PMC7088251 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-011-1061-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Ethical principles guiding public health and genomic medicine are often at odds: whereas public health practice adopts collectivist principles that emphasize population-based benefits, recent advances in genomic and personalized medicine are grounded in an individualist ethic that privileges informed consent, and the balancing of individual risk and benefit. Indeed, the attraction of personalized medicine is the promise it holds out to help individuals get the "right medicine for the right problem at the right time." Research biobanks are an effective tool in the genomic medicine toolbox. Biobanking in public health presents a unique case study to unpack some of these issues in more detail. For example, there is a long history of using banked tissue obtained under clinical diagnostic conditions for later public health uses. But despite the collectivist approach of public health, the principles applied to the ethical challenges of biobanking (e.g. informed consent, autonomy, privacy) remain individualist. We demonstrate the value of using human rights as a public health ethics framework to address this tension in biobanking by applying it to two illustrative cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Meslin
- Indiana University Center for Bioethics, 410 W 10th Street, Suite 3100, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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Extending the reach of public health genomics: What should be the agenda for public health in an era of genome-based and “personalized” medicine? Genet Med 2010; 12:785-91. [DOI: 10.1097/gim.0b013e3182011222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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