What is Precision Medicine?

Precision medicine is a new approach to health care that matches individual patients with targeted treatments that work best for each of them. Right now, most treatments are designed for the average Joe. ...

But, they may not work for everyone. ... Sorry, Joe.

Precision medicine aims to solve this problem by taking into account everything that makes you ... you! While the term is new, the idea behind precision medicine is not. For example, if you need a blood transfusion, your doctor will give you blood that matches your blood type, instead of average Joe's.

Precision medicine takes it a few steps further by trying to understand how your genetic variations affect your health. Just like how your genes give you brown hair or blue eyes, they may also protect you from certain diseases, or make you more likely to get them. Other things impact your health too -- like your diet, lifestyle, physical surroundings ... even the microscopic organisms living inside you!

So, by considering all these factors, precision medicine will help your doctors find the best way to treat you and keep you healthy.