Brussels, 04/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - Providing novel treatments that are more adapted to target groups of patients is the aim of personalised medicine, an area that has enormous potential. On 31 October, the European Commission published a report assessing the progress made in the field of personalised medicine, its advantages and the challenges it faces.
The report focuses on three points: 1) the potential of so-called “omic” technologies such as genomic and large scale DNA sequencing for research and development in personalised medicine and European research funding; 2) recent developments in European legislation regarding the medical products and devices marketed; 3) factors affecting the development of personalised medicine in health systems. According to the report, the development of personalised medicine through omic technologies provides unprecedented treatment opportunities for patients in the European Union. Through this approach, healthcare providers can offer more personalised treatments without risk of medical errors and reduce side-effects from specific products and medicines. Pharmaceutical legislation in force is sufficiently flexible and suited to developments in personalised medicine, with appropriate guidelines. The future Horizon 2020 programme, the review of in vitro diagnostic medical devices and revision of the directive on clinical trials will also provide a framework for future developments in the field of personalised medicine.
According to the report, personalised medicine is more to do with evolution then revolution. The report also emphasises that scientific progress is swift and that the European Commission will continue to monitor developments in this kind of medicine in the future, as well as maintain a constructive dialogue with all the different stakeholders. (IL/transl.fl)