KGMU centre for advanced research to start precision medicine division

PRECISION MEDICINE IS GIVING MEDICINE DOSES AS PER THE BODY CONDITION OF THE PATIENT

LUCKNOW: Patients at King George’s Medical University can now benefit from precision medication as the centre for advanced research (CFAR) has initiated steps to start the precision medicine division.

“Precision medicine, in simple terms, is giving medicine doses as per the body condition of the patient and also according to the impact of the illness on the body. Currently, medicines are prescribed based on a common formula for all the patients,” said Prof AK Tripathi, HoD clinical haematology and CFAR, KGMU.

The CFAR organised a daylong symposium on ‘Precision and personalised medicine’, which had several speakers, including Prof Shally Awasthy, Prof Amita Pandey (both of KGMU), Dr K Thangaraj, director, centre for DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics, Hyderabad.

Precision medicine works separately for each patient and is a mix of precise and personalised drugs, he said. The decision of medication is taken based on age, sex, gene, quality of life and social status.

Prof Tripathi said that precision medicine shall first focus on cancer patients, and ovarian cancer shall be the first disease that will be worked on. “We shall hold a meeting to find out which disease has the poor success rate and then will work on that. We can take two or three diseases at a time,” said Prof Tripathi.

Dr Shailendra Saxena of the CFAR said that not only in treatment but also in vaccine manufacturing, precision medicine is helpful.