Last week, President Barack Obama called on Congress to approve spending in medical research that tailors treatment to an individual’s genes. These precision medicine studies would cost the country some $215 million, helping the [healthcare] system move away from one-size-fits-all treatments.

As part of the deal, scientists will assemble databases of about a million volunteers to study their genetics along with other factors such as their environments and the microbes that live in their bodies to learn how to individualize care.

“That’s the promise of precision medicine – delivering the right treatment at the right time, every time, to the right person,” Obama said in the proposal announcement.

Already, this sort of input has yielded solid results. For instance, it’s becoming more common for patients with certain cancers to undergo molecular testing in choosing which drug is their best match. Moreover, some medical centers, such as the Mayo Clinic, have opened “individualized medicine clinics.”

The recent developments in the genomic sequencing has put the cost down, while the computer power has increased, making it possible for a large-scale pursuit of the approach.

The recent developments in the genomic sequencing has put the cost down, while the computer power has increased.The goal, according to Obama, is to try to personalize care, such as matching blood transfusion to blood types.

“What if matching a cancer cure to a genetic code was just as easy, just as standard?” he asked. “What if figuring the right dose of medicines was as a simple as taking a temperature?”

Initially, the efforts will be focused on cancer research because scientists already know a lot about the molecular signatures of different tumors.

Details of the initiative still are being worked out, but it’s clear that existing large genomic studies will be used along with new volunteers.

[Via: AP]