Integrating social context into personalized medicine

Abstract

Personalized medicine is the idea that every patient can be treated in a unique manner, tailored specifically to his or her individual needs. Traditionally the field of personalized medicine has focused on using genetic information to determine medical treatment. However, humans are not only the sum of their genetic parts. All people exist within the context of their environment, their experiences, and their relationships. While the connection between this greater context and medical treatment may not be immediately obvious, it exists. If we are to truly tailor medical care, it must occur in a holistic manner, combining both genetics and social context. A thorough understanding of the way that they interact, as well as the individual limitations of both, is the best way to offer individualized care to all patients.