An immense new power to heal
Subtitle: the promise of personalized medicine
By: Lee Guttkind & Pagan Kennedy
Contributors: Kennedy, Pagan, 1962-
Publisher: In Fact Books
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Pittsburgh, PA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 237
ISBN-13: 9781937163068
Subjects: Genetic markers; Precision Medicine; Medical technology; Medical genetics; Genetic screening; Genetic Phenomena
Description: The successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 created both hope and hype with regard to advancements in medical therapies. The delineation of precise genetic information suggested the possibility of predicting an individual's future health as well as the theoretical ability to intervene and fix it. Nearly a decade later, Gutkind and Kennedy (writers who are well versed in exploring both the technical and personal sides of science and medicine) chronicle the growing pains of personalized medicine, a genomic-driven, individualized type of preventive health care with uniquely targeted treatments. Interviews with researchers, patients, physicians, and others in the genomic business lead the authors to conclude that although personalized medicine has plenty of power and promise, it has a long way to go before becoming the standard of medical care. Sequencing your own genome is already quite accessible and getting cheaper all the time. Managing and making sense of vast amounts of genetic data remain daunting." (Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.).
Table of contents: title: El Dorado or iron pyrite?; title: The big event; title: The cancer doctors fear most; title: Can we read the Book of Life?; title: Family histories; title: The Sherpa; title: Ranting and raving and going nowhere; title: A lack of respect; title: Inspiration; title: and frustration; title: Exploitation; title: Biomarker bake-off; title: The context of vulnerability; title: The hedgehog; title: Forgotten constituency; title: PatientsLikeMe; title: Patient with an E; title: The 7q11.23 Dup Group; title: Health in your hand; title: Anxiety; title: Cliff diving; title: Do you really want to know?; title: Numbers; title: Innocent victims; title: Going back to the future.