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. 2012 Jun 1;9(4):429-439.
doi: 10.2217/pme.12.37.

After the revolution? Ethical and social challenges in 'personalized genomic medicine'

Affiliations

After the revolution? Ethical and social challenges in 'personalized genomic medicine'

Eric T Juengst et al. Per Med. .

Abstract

Personalized genomic medicine (PGM) is a goal that currently unites a wide array of biomedical initiatives, and is promoted as a 'new paradigm for healthcare' by its champions. Its promissory virtues include individualized diagnosis and risk prediction, more effective prevention and health promotion, and patient empowerment. Beyond overcoming scientific and technological hurdles to realizing PGM, proponents may interpret and rank these promises differently, which carries ethical and social implications for the realization of PGM as an approach to healthcare. We examine competing visions of PGM's virtues and the directions in which they could take the field, in order to anticipate policy choices that may lie ahead for researchers, healthcare providers and the public.

Keywords: empowerment; participatory; personalization; prediction; prevention; social worlds; stakeholders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter discussed in the manuscript.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stakeholder coproduction of the social practice of personalized genomic medicine. PGM: Personalized genomic medicine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The virtues and vices of personalized genomic medicine.

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