Addressing Disparities Will Advance Genomics, Precision Medicine

Advancements in genomics and precision medicine have improved healthcare’s understanding of human disease, but stakeholders will need to address disparities and increase data sharing in order to leverage the full potential of genomic medicine, according to a study published in Nature. Over the past two decades, technological advancements, as well as the collection and analysis of genetic and clinical data, have enhanced the use of genomics in healthcare. With these industry-wide changes, genomic medicine is poised to go mainstream, researchers noted. The future of medicine will increasingly focus on delivering care that is tailored to an individual’s genetic makeup and patterns,” said Judy H. Cho, MD, Dean of Translational Genetics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, and a co-author of the report. Applying this knowledge will help us to enhance personalized health and medicine for patients at The Mount Sinai Hospital now and for years to come. Despite the progress the industry has made in genomic medicine, researchers stated that there are still several barriers to overcome, including deeply entrenched disparities and limited genomic knowledge.