A Review of the Regulatory Challenges of Personalized Medicine

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2024-08, Vol.16 (8), p.e67891
• Main Authors: S, Dharani, R, Kamaraj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brain cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell growth; Chemotherapy; Disease; Drug efficacy; Drugs; Epidermal growth factor; Family/General Practice; Genomics; Immunotherapy; Kinases; Lung cancer; Monoclonal antibodies; Other; Patient satisfaction; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacology; Precision medicine; Response rates; Side effects; Tomography; Tumors; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.67891

Personalized medicine integrates genomics with clinical and familial histories, revolutionizing healthcare by tailoring treatments to individual patient characteristics. At its core, pharmacogenomics enables the customization of medication prescriptions based on genetic profiles, enhancing drug efficacy and safety. This precision medicine approach addresses disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, offering targeted therapies for conditions like autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and neoplastic conditions. Examples of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine include treatment for certain conditions like blood clotting disorders (warfarin (blood thinner), genetic variability, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) testing) in leukemia treatment. Historically, personalized medicine has evolved from Hippocrates' humoral theories to modern molecular diagnostics. The shift from cellular to molecular-level investigations has led to the current post-genomic era, emphasizing the four chemical components of DNA in understanding and treating disorders. This evolution enhances our ability to predict disease susceptibility, treatment response, and potential adverse reactions, demanding advancements in privacy laws, payment systems, regulatory standards, and education. Personalized healthcare optimizes treatment by considering genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, reducing adverse reactions, and improving patient satisfaction. It drives genomic and biotechnological research, fostering the development of targeted therapies and diagnostic tools, and streamlining drug development. Applications in lung cancer, renal carcinoma, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) illustrate the efficacy of personalized medicine. Targeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), show significant success in lung cancer. Biomarkers guide renal carcinoma treatments, while gene expression profiles predict rheumatoid arthritis outcomes with tumor necrosis factor-alpha TNF-α) blockers. The US FDA's increasing approvals of personalized treatments underscore its commitment to precision medicine. However, regulatory challenges persist, necessitating clear processes and policies. Ethical considerations, including equitable access and privacy, are critical for responsible implementation. The FDA's increasing approvals of personalized treatments highlight its commitment to advancing precision medicine, y