Personalized medicine, also known as precision medicine, is a concept that is reshaping the way we think about human health.
Personalized medicine takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle when making decisions about disease treatment and prevention. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a national leader in personalized medicine research and its delivery at the bedside.
For children, we know that family environment, age, and development impact health and response to treatments. We are committed to working with families to find the best plan to help each child reach their full potential.
Personalized Medicine for Children: Driven by Science, Medicine, and Technology
Personalized medicine is a model of care that involves a diverse range of scientific and medical fields. This being the case, The Vanderbilt Center for Pediatric Precision Medicine helps connect and coordinate efforts across these fields. We are dedicated to making the discoveries that promise to reshape the way we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease.
Using Genes to Personalize Prescriptions: PREDICT
While research is important, we are also committed to incorporating research advances into patient care. One example of this is Vanderbilt's PREDICT program. PREDICT is a DNA test that your doctor may use to guide the use of certain drugs. The test looks at some genes that tell us how individuals respond to those drugs. The test results help doctors prescribe the right dose of the right drug and avoid bad drug side effects. The PREDICT test is available for both children and adults at Vanderbilt.
Our Commitment to Ethics in Personalized Medicine
The use of genetic information in healthcare brings with it new issues in ethics and patient privacy. Vanderbilt is committed to addressing these concerns and engaging the public for their input and participation. Vanderbilt has numerous resources established to guide sound ethical policies related to personalized medicine for adults and children, to train tomorrow's leaders in biomedical ethics, and to engage the community in this new and exciting revolution in healthcare.
