Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Gene Tech
Biological Basis
Personalized genomics and personalized medicine refers to a collection of technologies and techniques designed to custom design pharmaceutical treatments according to the patient's genome sequence. The starting point for personalized medicine, which has also been called "stratified medicine" or "precision medicine" is the completion of the Human Genome Project (NHMRC, 2014). The Human Genome Project has permitted unprecedented access to genetic information and the implications the information has on human health factors.
A genome is the entire collection of genes, about 23,000 different ones, embedded in each cell of the body (The Jackson Laboratory, 2014). According to Snyder, Du & Gerstein (2010), determining a genome sequence involves "identifying single-nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] and structural variations [SVs], assembling new sequences, and phasing haplotypes," (p. 423). Although only two percent of the human genome is actually comprised of genes themselves, the human genome "influences how we look, our genetic predispositions for certain medical conditions, how well our bodies fight disease or metabolize food, and which therapies our bodies do and do not respond to," ("Personalized Medicine," n.d.).
Therefore, understanding how to decode the human genome can help biochemists develop targeted interventions based on an individual's unique blueprint. Those interventions can be preventative in nature as well as ameliorative. Biochemists might be able to prepare custom-designed medications that not only target the exact areas of concern, but that are also far superior than general medications because of side effects. Genes may cause to some people to experience side effects and others not (The Jackson Laboratory, 2014).
Taking into...
Personalized genomics is, however, in its infancy. It is not yet possible to sequence a person's entire genome with a hundred percent accuracy, raising important questions about the current feasibility of personalized medicine (Snyder, Du & Gernstein, 2010).
Social and Ethical Considerations
Personalized medicine is not yet widely available, and although costs have "dramatically" been decreasing, it remains out of reach for most people (Snyder, Du & Gernstein, 2010, p. 423). It is a for-profit sector that "already generates $286 billion per year in revenues and is growing by 11% annually (The Jackson Laboratory, 2014). Personal genome sequencing involves tests and procedures that are costly as well as time consuming.
However, it is predicted that in the long run, personalized medicine will actually reduce total health care costs because of the elimination of costs associated with misdiagnoses and mismatched medications. The trial and error method of doctors seeing what works best for a patient can be replaced by a far more efficient mode of intervention. The application of personalized medicine specifically for discovering the way medications interact on different people is called pharmacogenetics (NHMRC, 2014). Pharmacogenetics can reduce problems related to underdose, overdose, medication interaction problems, and medication errors. Given that some medication errors and side effects can be fatal, personalized medicine and pharmacogenetics can directly improve patient outcomes.
As the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC, 2014) points out too, personalized medicine takes the guesswork…
References
The Jackson Laboratory (2014). Personalized medicine and genomics. Retrieved online: http://www.jax.org/ct/genomics.html
"Personalized Medicine," (n.d.). U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved online: http://health.usnews.com/health-conditions/cancer/personalized-medicine/overview
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC, 2014). Personalized medicine and genetics. Australian Government. Retrieved online: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/your-health/genetics-and-human-health/genetic-testing-and-applications/personalised-medicine
Snyder, M., Du, Jiang & Gerstein, M. (2010). Personal genome sequencing: current approaches and challenges. Genes and Development 2010(24), 423-431.
Medication Errors Since the research materials are provided to you by human beings, and may be based Medication errors pose a significant threat to patients. The results of medication errors vary from mild to deadly. No facility is immune from the possibility to drug errors, either through a fault of their own, or from suppliers or pharmacists that supply them. All medication errors must be reported to the Food and Drug Administration.
Medication Errors Including Look-Alike Sound-Alike Drugs in an ICU People mistakes. This is true in every field and in every job. But in certain areas, mistakes can be costly, even deadly. Medication errors happen because sometimes staff at the medical facility or hospital see drug names that not just look alike, but also sound alike. Statistics point to only 0-2% detection rate of medication errors and prescribing errors. Although over 34%
Medication Errors Over Medication Overmedication can be described as an inappropriate medical treatment that occurs when a patient takes unnecessary or excessive medications. This may happen because the prescriber is unaware of other medications the patient is already taking, because of drug interactions with another chemical or target population, because of human error, or because of undiagnosed medical conditions. Sometimes, the extra prescription is intentional (and sometimes illegal), as in the case
One proven solution to decrease medication errors is use of medication software such as CPOE. It has significantly reduced errors in prescribing, transcription, and dispensing of medications (Hidle). It also has the potential to decrease errors in administration due to unfamiliarity with a drug, drugs with similar names, or incorrect dose calculations since the software performs the calculations. So, why are these systems not used more often in the administration
Medication errors have serious direct and indirect results, and are usually the consequence of breakdowns in a system of care…Ten to 18% of all reported hospital injuries have been attributed to medication errors" (Mayo & Duncan 2004: 209). One of the most common reasons that errors in medical administration transpire is miscommunication. On a staff level, errors may occur in terms of the paperwork associated with the patient. The hospital
The anger that eventually and inevitably spills out is far more hurtful than any truth I could have told before, and the damage I have done to my self-esteem is too great. My opinions, right or wrong, are part of who I am. Honesty does not mean tactlessness. In fact, one of the important lessons about learning to be honest is to know that honesty does not mean being too