Skipping toward Personalized Molecular Medicine

The concept of personalized molecular medicine, an approach that evokes images of Bones on Star Trek making instantaneous diagnoses with his Tricorder followed by loud pneumatic injections of customized drugs, is considered.

Abstract

“Personalized molecular medicine.” As with other catchy terms for big ideas, such as “reversing global warming” and “renewable energy,” the concept of personalized molecular medicine is certainly important, but the path to achieving it is far from clear. When such phrases are considered, definitions are important. Does personalized molecular medicine mean the tailoring of drugs for the individual patient, an approach that evokes images of Bones on Star Trek making instantaneous diagnoses with his Tricorder followed by loud pneumatic injections of customized drugs? Such a concept would place the realization of this technology in the same time frame as the . . .