Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems

Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems

Author: Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-08-02

Total Pages: 405

ISBN-13: 3030164659

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book gathers scientific contributions on comprehensive approaches to personalized medicine. In a systematic and clear manner, it provides extensive information on the methodological, technological, and clinical aspects of high-throughput analytics, nanotechnology approaches, microbiota/human interactions, in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation, and various diseases like cancer.Moreover, the book analyzes the social and legal aspects of social security systems, healthcare systems and EU law – e.g. the role of solidarity, regulatory possibilities and obstacles, justice and equality, privacy/disclosure of data, and the right to know – from an interdisciplinary perspective. Lastly, it explores the economical and ethical context in the fields of business models, intellectual property issues, the patient/physician relationship, and price discrimination.


Book Synopsis Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems by : Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat

Download or read book Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems written by Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-08-02 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book gathers scientific contributions on comprehensive approaches to personalized medicine. In a systematic and clear manner, it provides extensive information on the methodological, technological, and clinical aspects of high-throughput analytics, nanotechnology approaches, microbiota/human interactions, in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation, and various diseases like cancer.Moreover, the book analyzes the social and legal aspects of social security systems, healthcare systems and EU law – e.g. the role of solidarity, regulatory possibilities and obstacles, justice and equality, privacy/disclosure of data, and the right to know – from an interdisciplinary perspective. Lastly, it explores the economical and ethical context in the fields of business models, intellectual property issues, the patient/physician relationship, and price discrimination.


Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems

Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems

Author: Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-08-13

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9783030164645

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book gathers scientific contributions on comprehensive approaches to personalized medicine. In a systematic and clear manner, it provides extensive information on the methodological, technological, and clinical aspects of high-throughput analytics, nanotechnology approaches, microbiota/human interactions, in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation, and various diseases like cancer.Moreover, the book analyzes the social and legal aspects of social security systems, healthcare systems and EU law – e.g. the role of solidarity, regulatory possibilities and obstacles, justice and equality, privacy/disclosure of data, and the right to know – from an interdisciplinary perspective. Lastly, it explores the economical and ethical context in the fields of business models, intellectual property issues, the patient/physician relationship, and price discrimination.


Book Synopsis Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems by : Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat

Download or read book Personalized Medicine in Healthcare Systems written by Nada Bodiroga-Vukobrat and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-08-13 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book gathers scientific contributions on comprehensive approaches to personalized medicine. In a systematic and clear manner, it provides extensive information on the methodological, technological, and clinical aspects of high-throughput analytics, nanotechnology approaches, microbiota/human interactions, in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation, and various diseases like cancer.Moreover, the book analyzes the social and legal aspects of social security systems, healthcare systems and EU law – e.g. the role of solidarity, regulatory possibilities and obstacles, justice and equality, privacy/disclosure of data, and the right to know – from an interdisciplinary perspective. Lastly, it explores the economical and ethical context in the fields of business models, intellectual property issues, the patient/physician relationship, and price discrimination.


Economic Dimensions of Personalized and Precision Medicine

Economic Dimensions of Personalized and Precision Medicine

Author: Ernst R. Berndt

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2019-04-22

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 022661123X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Personalized and precision medicine (PPM)—the targeting of therapies according to an individual’s genetic, environmental, or lifestyle characteristics—is becoming an increasingly important approach in health care treatment and prevention. The advancement of PPM is a challenge in traditional clinical, reimbursement, and regulatory landscapes because it is costly to develop and introduces a wide range of scientific, clinical, ethical, and socioeconomic issues. PPM raises a multitude of economic issues, including how information on accurate diagnosis and treatment success will be disseminated and who will bear the cost; changes to physician training to incorporate genetics, probability and statistics, and economic considerations; questions about whether the benefits of PPM will be confined to developed countries or will diffuse to emerging economies with less developed health care systems; the effects of patient heterogeneity on cost-effectiveness analysis; and opportunities for PPM’s growth beyond treatment of acute illness, such as prevention and reversal of chronic conditions. This volume explores the intersection of the scientific, clinical, and economic factors affecting the development of PPM, including its effects on the drug pipeline, on reimbursement of PPM diagnostics and treatments, and on funding of the requisite underlying research; and it examines recent empirical applications of PPM.


Book Synopsis Economic Dimensions of Personalized and Precision Medicine by : Ernst R. Berndt

Download or read book Economic Dimensions of Personalized and Precision Medicine written by Ernst R. Berndt and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2019-04-22 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Personalized and precision medicine (PPM)—the targeting of therapies according to an individual’s genetic, environmental, or lifestyle characteristics—is becoming an increasingly important approach in health care treatment and prevention. The advancement of PPM is a challenge in traditional clinical, reimbursement, and regulatory landscapes because it is costly to develop and introduces a wide range of scientific, clinical, ethical, and socioeconomic issues. PPM raises a multitude of economic issues, including how information on accurate diagnosis and treatment success will be disseminated and who will bear the cost; changes to physician training to incorporate genetics, probability and statistics, and economic considerations; questions about whether the benefits of PPM will be confined to developed countries or will diffuse to emerging economies with less developed health care systems; the effects of patient heterogeneity on cost-effectiveness analysis; and opportunities for PPM’s growth beyond treatment of acute illness, such as prevention and reversal of chronic conditions. This volume explores the intersection of the scientific, clinical, and economic factors affecting the development of PPM, including its effects on the drug pipeline, on reimbursement of PPM diagnostics and treatments, and on funding of the requisite underlying research; and it examines recent empirical applications of PPM.


Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine

Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine

Author: Priya Hays

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-09-27

Total Pages: 755

ISBN-13: 3030801004

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book provides a unique perspective on the biomedical and societal implications of personalized medicine and how it helps to mitigate the healthcare crisis and rein in ever-growing expenditure. It introduces the reader to the underlying concepts at the heart of personalized medicine. An innovative second edition, this book functions as an update to the successful first edition to include new, state-of-the-art information and advancements in the fast-paced field of personalized medicine. Chapters examine pharmacogenomics, targeted therapies, individualized diagnosis and treatment, and cancer immunotherapies. The book also features an essential discussion on how the advent of genomic technologies gives clinicians the capability to predict and diagnose disease more efficiently and offers a detailed up-to-date compilation of clinical trials in cancer leading to breakthrough therapies. The book also addresses the impact of Big Data on personalized medicine and the newfound applications of digital health and artificial intelligence. A work that advocates for a patient-centered approach, Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine, Second Edition is an invaluable text for clinicians, healthcare providers, and patients.


Book Synopsis Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine by : Priya Hays

Download or read book Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine written by Priya Hays and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-09-27 with total page 755 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a unique perspective on the biomedical and societal implications of personalized medicine and how it helps to mitigate the healthcare crisis and rein in ever-growing expenditure. It introduces the reader to the underlying concepts at the heart of personalized medicine. An innovative second edition, this book functions as an update to the successful first edition to include new, state-of-the-art information and advancements in the fast-paced field of personalized medicine. Chapters examine pharmacogenomics, targeted therapies, individualized diagnosis and treatment, and cancer immunotherapies. The book also features an essential discussion on how the advent of genomic technologies gives clinicians the capability to predict and diagnose disease more efficiently and offers a detailed up-to-date compilation of clinical trials in cancer leading to breakthrough therapies. The book also addresses the impact of Big Data on personalized medicine and the newfound applications of digital health and artificial intelligence. A work that advocates for a patient-centered approach, Advancing Healthcare Through Personalized Medicine, Second Edition is an invaluable text for clinicians, healthcare providers, and patients.


Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems

Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems

Author: Romina Prziklas Druzeta

Publisher: Nova Science Publishers

Published: 2021-12-22

Total Pages: 540

ISBN-13: 9781685073930

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"The book Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems represents a valuable interdisciplinary contribution created to fill an existing gap in the field of health economics and healthcare systems. The book brings the latest insights from the growing field of health economics and healthcare systems. It deals with various economic, technological, sociological, ethical, legal and philosophical implications and questions arising from the development and implementation of personalized medicine. It is unprecedented in combining practical guidelines for the use of economic tools and techniques with an analysis of the current process of decision-making in the health service sector. The book also provides several insights into the factors that determine human health, the socioeconomic aspects of population aging and the social implications of the evolving burden of disease. Some contributions are highly innovative and cover extremely relevant branches of medicine such as oncology, neurology and endocrinology. In addition, in a brave, yet professional and sovereign manner, the book covers the issue of biological predictors of health outcomes; though they are currently mainly used as global analytical methods, they are yet to be applied or have only recently been applied in clinical medicine. Further, it provides an example from traditional Korean medicine, a proven and valuable tool for personalized medical healthcare. This edition is unique in the sense that 30 chapters were written by 41 authors, all of them experts in their respective fields of research. The authors hail from Croatia, Hungary, South Korea and the United States. The volume is intended to serve as valuable teaching material for university students, as well as a reference book for research scholars, policymakers, business executives, health managers, physicians and freelance readers"--


Book Synopsis Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems by : Romina Prziklas Druzeta

Download or read book Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems written by Romina Prziklas Druzeta and published by Nova Science Publishers. This book was released on 2021-12-22 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The book Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems represents a valuable interdisciplinary contribution created to fill an existing gap in the field of health economics and healthcare systems. The book brings the latest insights from the growing field of health economics and healthcare systems. It deals with various economic, technological, sociological, ethical, legal and philosophical implications and questions arising from the development and implementation of personalized medicine. It is unprecedented in combining practical guidelines for the use of economic tools and techniques with an analysis of the current process of decision-making in the health service sector. The book also provides several insights into the factors that determine human health, the socioeconomic aspects of population aging and the social implications of the evolving burden of disease. Some contributions are highly innovative and cover extremely relevant branches of medicine such as oncology, neurology and endocrinology. In addition, in a brave, yet professional and sovereign manner, the book covers the issue of biological predictors of health outcomes; though they are currently mainly used as global analytical methods, they are yet to be applied or have only recently been applied in clinical medicine. Further, it provides an example from traditional Korean medicine, a proven and valuable tool for personalized medical healthcare. This edition is unique in the sense that 30 chapters were written by 41 authors, all of them experts in their respective fields of research. The authors hail from Croatia, Hungary, South Korea and the United States. The volume is intended to serve as valuable teaching material for university students, as well as a reference book for research scholars, policymakers, business executives, health managers, physicians and freelance readers"--


Personalised Health Care

Personalised Health Care

Author: Stefania Boccia

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-11-23

Total Pages: 135

ISBN-13: 3030523993

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Practitioners are increasingly adopting a personalised medicine approach to individually tailored patient care, especially disease diagnosis and treatment with the use of biomarkers. However, development and implementation of such approaches to chronic disease prevention need further investigation and concerted efforts for proper use in healthcare systems. This book provides high-quality, multidisciplinary knowledge from research in personalised medicine, specifically personalised prevention of chronic disease. It addresses different perspectives of prevention in the field, and is the outcome of a four-year work of the Personalized prevention of Chronic Disease (PRECeDI) Consortium, a multi-disciplinary and multi-professional team of experts. The Consortium jointly agreed to document and address the five aspects or domains of personalised medicine and prevention as individual chapters: Identification of biomarkers for the prevention of chronic disease Evaluation of predictive genomic applications Ethico-legal and policy issues surrounding personalised medicine Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in informing healthy individuals on their genome: a sociotechnical analysis Identification of organisational models for the provision of predictive genomic applications The book focuses on the Consortium's recommendations that are derived from each of these domains based on up-to-date evidence and research that the authors write, follow, and systematically organise and report. Personalisation of health care is, eventually, a driver of innovation in research and healthcare systems. With this SpringerBrief on Personalised Health Care: Fostering Precision Medicine Advancements for Gaining Population Health Impact, the Consortium provides further evidence of the clinical validity and utility of personalised medicine with special emphasis on the prevention of chronic diseases. The book is a useful resource for policy makers, industry and healthcare professionals, scientists, technology-sector professionals, investors, citizens, and private companies that need proper advice to realise the potential of personalised medicine.


Book Synopsis Personalised Health Care by : Stefania Boccia

Download or read book Personalised Health Care written by Stefania Boccia and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-11-23 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Practitioners are increasingly adopting a personalised medicine approach to individually tailored patient care, especially disease diagnosis and treatment with the use of biomarkers. However, development and implementation of such approaches to chronic disease prevention need further investigation and concerted efforts for proper use in healthcare systems. This book provides high-quality, multidisciplinary knowledge from research in personalised medicine, specifically personalised prevention of chronic disease. It addresses different perspectives of prevention in the field, and is the outcome of a four-year work of the Personalized prevention of Chronic Disease (PRECeDI) Consortium, a multi-disciplinary and multi-professional team of experts. The Consortium jointly agreed to document and address the five aspects or domains of personalised medicine and prevention as individual chapters: Identification of biomarkers for the prevention of chronic disease Evaluation of predictive genomic applications Ethico-legal and policy issues surrounding personalised medicine Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in informing healthy individuals on their genome: a sociotechnical analysis Identification of organisational models for the provision of predictive genomic applications The book focuses on the Consortium's recommendations that are derived from each of these domains based on up-to-date evidence and research that the authors write, follow, and systematically organise and report. Personalisation of health care is, eventually, a driver of innovation in research and healthcare systems. With this SpringerBrief on Personalised Health Care: Fostering Precision Medicine Advancements for Gaining Population Health Impact, the Consortium provides further evidence of the clinical validity and utility of personalised medicine with special emphasis on the prevention of chronic diseases. The book is a useful resource for policy makers, industry and healthcare professionals, scientists, technology-sector professionals, investors, citizens, and private companies that need proper advice to realise the potential of personalised medicine.


Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems

Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2015-07-08

Total Pages: 105

ISBN-13: 0309371155

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The inclusion of genomic data in a knowledge-generating health care system infrastructure is one promising way to harness the full potential of that information to provide better patient care. In such a system, clinical practice and research influence each other with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. To examine pragmatic approaches to incorporating genomics in learning health care systems, the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health hosted a workshop which convened a variety of stakeholder groups, including commercial developers, health information technology professionals, clinical providers, academic researchers, patient groups, and government and health system representatives, to present their perspectives and participate in discussions on maximizing the value that can be obtained from genomic information. The workshop examined how a variety of systems are capturing and making use of genomic data to generate knowledge for advancing health care in the 21st century. It also sought to evaluate the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for capturing or using genomic information in knowledge-generating health care systems. Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.


Book Synopsis Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems by : Institute of Medicine

Download or read book Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-07-08 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inclusion of genomic data in a knowledge-generating health care system infrastructure is one promising way to harness the full potential of that information to provide better patient care. In such a system, clinical practice and research influence each other with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. To examine pragmatic approaches to incorporating genomics in learning health care systems, the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health hosted a workshop which convened a variety of stakeholder groups, including commercial developers, health information technology professionals, clinical providers, academic researchers, patient groups, and government and health system representatives, to present their perspectives and participate in discussions on maximizing the value that can be obtained from genomic information. The workshop examined how a variety of systems are capturing and making use of genomic data to generate knowledge for advancing health care in the 21st century. It also sought to evaluate the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for capturing or using genomic information in knowledge-generating health care systems. Genomics-Enabled Learning Health Care Systems summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.


P5 eHealth: An Agenda for the Health Technologies of the Future

P5 eHealth: An Agenda for the Health Technologies of the Future

Author: Gabriella Pravettoni

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2019-11-29

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 3030279944

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This open access volume focuses on the development of a P5 eHealth, or better, a methodological resource for developing the health technologies of the future, based on patients’ personal characteristics and needs as the fundamental guidelines for design. It provides practical guidelines and evidence based examples on how to design, implement, use and elevate new technologies for healthcare to support the management of incurable, chronic conditions. The volume further discusses the criticalities of eHealth, why it is difficult to employ eHealth from an organizational point of view or why patients do not always accept the technology, and how eHealth interventions can be improved in the future. By dealing with the state-of-the-art in eHealth technologies, this volume is of great interest to researchers in the field of physical and mental healthcare, psychologists, stakeholders and policymakers as well as technology developers working in the healthcare sector.


Book Synopsis P5 eHealth: An Agenda for the Health Technologies of the Future by : Gabriella Pravettoni

Download or read book P5 eHealth: An Agenda for the Health Technologies of the Future written by Gabriella Pravettoni and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-11-29 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access volume focuses on the development of a P5 eHealth, or better, a methodological resource for developing the health technologies of the future, based on patients’ personal characteristics and needs as the fundamental guidelines for design. It provides practical guidelines and evidence based examples on how to design, implement, use and elevate new technologies for healthcare to support the management of incurable, chronic conditions. The volume further discusses the criticalities of eHealth, why it is difficult to employ eHealth from an organizational point of view or why patients do not always accept the technology, and how eHealth interventions can be improved in the future. By dealing with the state-of-the-art in eHealth technologies, this volume is of great interest to researchers in the field of physical and mental healthcare, psychologists, stakeholders and policymakers as well as technology developers working in the healthcare sector.


Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence

Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence

Author: Michael Mahler

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2021-03-12

Total Pages: 300

ISBN-13: 032385432X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence: The Perfect Fit for Autoimmunity covers background on artificial intelligence (AI), its link to precision medicine (PM), and examples of AI in healthcare, especially autoimmunity. The book highlights future perspectives and potential directions as AI has gained significant attention during the past decade. Autoimmune diseases are complex and heterogeneous conditions, but exciting new developments and implementation tactics surrounding automated systems have enabled the generation of large datasets, making autoimmunity an ideal target for AI and precision medicine. More and more diagnostic products utilize AI, which is also starting to be supported by regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Knowledge generation by leveraging large datasets including demographic, environmental, clinical and biomarker data has the potential to not only impact the diagnosis of patients, but also disease prediction, prognosis and treatment options. Allows the readers to gain an overview on precision medicine for autoimmune diseases leveraging AI solutions Provides background, milestone and examples of precision medicine Outlines the paradigm shift towards precision medicine driven by value-based systems Discusses future applications of precision medicine research using AI Other aspects covered in the book include regulatory insights, data analytics and visualization, types of biomarkers as well as the role of the patient in precision medicine


Book Synopsis Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence by : Michael Mahler

Download or read book Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence written by Michael Mahler and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-03-12 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Precision Medicine and Artificial Intelligence: The Perfect Fit for Autoimmunity covers background on artificial intelligence (AI), its link to precision medicine (PM), and examples of AI in healthcare, especially autoimmunity. The book highlights future perspectives and potential directions as AI has gained significant attention during the past decade. Autoimmune diseases are complex and heterogeneous conditions, but exciting new developments and implementation tactics surrounding automated systems have enabled the generation of large datasets, making autoimmunity an ideal target for AI and precision medicine. More and more diagnostic products utilize AI, which is also starting to be supported by regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Knowledge generation by leveraging large datasets including demographic, environmental, clinical and biomarker data has the potential to not only impact the diagnosis of patients, but also disease prediction, prognosis and treatment options. Allows the readers to gain an overview on precision medicine for autoimmune diseases leveraging AI solutions Provides background, milestone and examples of precision medicine Outlines the paradigm shift towards precision medicine driven by value-based systems Discusses future applications of precision medicine research using AI Other aspects covered in the book include regulatory insights, data analytics and visualization, types of biomarkers as well as the role of the patient in precision medicine


Toward Precision Medicine

Toward Precision Medicine

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2012-01-16

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 0309222222

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Motivated by the explosion of molecular data on humans-particularly data associated with individual patients-and the sense that there are large, as-yet-untapped opportunities to use this data to improve health outcomes, Toward Precision Medicine explores the feasibility and need for "a new taxonomy of human disease based on molecular biology" and develops a potential framework for creating one. The book says that a new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of diseases and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment. The "new taxonomy" that emerges would define diseases by their underlying molecular causes and other factors in addition to their traditional physical signs and symptoms. The book adds that the new data network could also improve biomedical research by enabling scientists to access patients' information during treatment while still protecting their rights. This would allow the marriage of molecular research and clinical data at the point of care, as opposed to research information continuing to reside primarily in academia. Toward Precision Medicine notes that moving toward individualized medicine requires that researchers and health care providers have access to very large sets of health- and disease-related data linked to individual patients. These data are also critical for developing the information commons, the knowledge network of disease, and ultimately the new taxonomy.


Book Synopsis Toward Precision Medicine by : National Research Council

Download or read book Toward Precision Medicine written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-01-16 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Motivated by the explosion of molecular data on humans-particularly data associated with individual patients-and the sense that there are large, as-yet-untapped opportunities to use this data to improve health outcomes, Toward Precision Medicine explores the feasibility and need for "a new taxonomy of human disease based on molecular biology" and develops a potential framework for creating one. The book says that a new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of diseases and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment. The "new taxonomy" that emerges would define diseases by their underlying molecular causes and other factors in addition to their traditional physical signs and symptoms. The book adds that the new data network could also improve biomedical research by enabling scientists to access patients' information during treatment while still protecting their rights. This would allow the marriage of molecular research and clinical data at the point of care, as opposed to research information continuing to reside primarily in academia. Toward Precision Medicine notes that moving toward individualized medicine requires that researchers and health care providers have access to very large sets of health- and disease-related data linked to individual patients. These data are also critical for developing the information commons, the knowledge network of disease, and ultimately the new taxonomy.