There are many examples of diseases that are understood and dealt with in a completely different way from 25 years ago because of advances in molecular biology. There have been profound changes not only in diagnosis and treatment, but also in social issues. The pervasive influence of molecular biology on medicine can be seen in many ways. Medical news is included in television newscasts and newspapers. Biotechnology is a growing, high risk industry.
Patients come to their physicians carrying information from the internet on new clinical trials.
Political scandals may have roots in molecular biology, including the illegal use of drugs in the Olympics and the trial of a former Prime Minister of France for delaying HIV testing of the blood supply for political and financial reasons. The impact can be seen in a recent issue of the The New England Journal of Medicine , January 28, 1999. In the first five articles, molecular biology plays a central role. The last article reports that admission to teaching hospitals results in lower mortality, compared to non-teaching hospitals.