Issues in the Use of Human Tissues to Support Precision Medicine

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Genomics
• Personalized medicine

Background:

• Precision medicine tailors treatment to individual patient and disease characteristics.
• It enables targeted molecular therapies for complex diseases like cancer.
• High-quality human tissues are essential for molecular profiling and treatment selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical role of human tissues in precision medicine.
• To address the ethical considerations surrounding human tissue use.
• To examine the requirements for extending precision medicine to underserved populations.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on precision medicine principles and practices.
• Analysis of ethical challenges in human tissue utilization.
• Examination of resource and infrastructure needs for broad implementation.

Main Results:

• High-quality human tissues are indispensable for identifying targetable molecules in precision medicine.
• Ethical issues include informed consent, confidentiality, tissue quality, and bias mitigation.
• Equitable access for medically underserved populations necessitates significant research, planning, and resources.

Conclusions:

• Precision medicine relies heavily on robust bioresources and ethical frameworks.
• Addressing resource disparities is key to realizing the full potential of precision medicine for all patients.
• Certified bioresources are vital for ensuring the quality and reliability of precision medicine applications.