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As part of the 3rd National Patients’ Congress (which will take place from 4 to 6 November), Dr. Santiago March Mifsut, coordinator of strategic projects of the Mexican Foundation for Health (FUNSALUD), said personalized medicine is based on knowledge of a patient’s genetic profile to select the appropriate therapy and to provide personalized treatment with better results.
“In Oncology, precision medicine is of great importance, allowing us to determine which drug is the most appropriate based on the genetic origin of the tumor in each patient, instead of administering the same drug to an entire group of patients, with a prognosis reserved “added.
Personalized medicine in Mexico
Although precision medicine has been shown to be one of the great bets of medical science for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various types of cancer, in Mexico there are still major challenges to be addressed for the benefit of more patients. such as the implementation of a genetic-supported diagnosis to gain access to this type of therapy in public institutions, as well as a greater understanding of its management by the medical community, said Mayra Galindo, director of the AMLCC.
It is a reality that in our country personalized medicine treatments are very limited in public health institutions and their access depends on the existence of specific treatment protocols for the type of cancer in question and on whether they meet the criteria for prescribing drugs. . available, depending on the unit in which the patient is insured.
“For this reason, it is important to train patients to start conversations with their doctor to learn more about their disease and see if there are precision medicine-based treatments for their specific type of cancer,” said the director of the association. .
Genetic alterations
During his speech, Dr. Santiago March recalled that, although there are more than 200 types of cancer, thanks to genomic medicine we can identify the type of genetic alterations or mutations identified as responsible for certain types of cancer, thus being able to determine the drug. which can be used to inhibit or reduce tumor growth in specific patients.
Having the possibility of administering an oncological treatment based on the genetic origin of the tumor, the effectiveness is much greater than the usual treatments and the adverse effects are less frequent because it is a more specific treatment, avoiding over-treating patients with different lines. care, increase unnecessary expenses and contribute to the sustainability of health systems, explained the specialist.
Challenges of personalized medicine
Dr. Santiago March listed the challenges that precision medicine must face to become part of the National Health System: 1) support the systematization of databases including genetic data; 2) optimize tools for communicating with patients and specialists; 3) elaboration of mass tests; 4) adapt the regulatory framework around new health technologies (including genetic testing and other “omics” disciplines); 5) validate and adapt the tests to the genetic makeup of the Mexican population; 6) increase the public-private link in precision medicine; and 7) involve all social actors so that precision medicine is a reality in Mexico.
Finally, experts agreed that the future of precision medicine is promising, as it can significantly change the prognosis of many types of cancer. And this path, the participation of patients, is a relevant factor in determining a change in access to personalized medicine in public health institutions, through information and the exercise of their right to health.
3rd National Patient Congress
Today, cancer patients face new challenges in accessing health services. With the aim of making these problems visible and developing proposals to overcome these barriers, the Network Against Cancer and Together Against Cancer has convened the III National Congress of Patients and the IV Meeting of Civil Organizations – from 4 to 6 November, aimed at doctors, patients and families. Registration is free through the page https://redcontraelcancer.org.mx/congresopacientes/.
Within this congress, Dr. Santiago March will make the presentation Personalized medicine November 5th from 11:00 to 11:45 And if you want to learn more about precision medicine, please consult the following link from the Mexican Association of the Fight against Cancer AC https: //www.amlcc. org / news / precision-medicine /.
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