Precision medicine is a hot topic in the healthcare field, as initiatives such as the Cancer Moonshot and the pending 21st Century Cures Act have brought it to the fore.
Sessions on precision medicine feature prominently on the agenda of the annual Connected Health Conference (formerly known as the mHealth Summit) at the Gaylord Hotel just outside of the District of Columbia next week.
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Here’s a rundown of some of the sessions on this important topic.
Accelerating Precision Medicine
Monday, Dec. 12, Potomac Ballroom, 9:55-10:40 a.m.
This presentation will address the concept of “all in one day” precision medicine, which would provide for the diagnosis, sequencing and development of a personalized treatment plan for cancers and other genetically-linked conditions within a 24-hour time period. This acceleration calls for changes to reduce barriers to such treatment, such as new regulations for the approval of technology and software, as well as the need for speed and new capabilities.
Speakers include Bray Patrick-Lake, director of patient engagement at the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Kevin Johnson, senior vice president of Health Information Technology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Greg Simon, executive director of the White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force.
Defining Policy Changes Needed for Accelerating Precision Medicine
Monday, Dec. 12, Cherry Blossom Ballroom, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
This session is Part 1 of a workshop on achieving all in one day precision medicine following the main stage panel addressing opportunities and barriers to accelerating precision medicine. The attendees will participate in a hands-on discussion of the policies that can spur precision medicine and issues, such as data exchange, patient privacy, regulatory authority and payment which may impede it. Attendees will develop action steps and insights, which will be collected and delivered in a report to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Personalized Health and Medicine: Way Beyond the Pill
Monday, Dec. 12, Room Maryland C, 2:30-3:15 p.m.
This session will discuss what’s current and possible in personalized health interventions, such as prescription apps and gene-based treatment.
Speakers include Alden Doerner Rinaldi, medical director, care group, at Parameter Home Health and Hospice and Mount Auburn Hospital. It will be moderated by Joseph Kvedar, M.D., vice president of connected health at Partners HealthCare.
Precision Medicine Technology Barriers
Monday, Dec. 12, Cherry Blossom Ballroom, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
The second part of the workshop on achieving one-day precision medicine will involve an interactive dialogue about technology barriers keeping precision medicine from progressing quickly. Attendees will discuss the technology needs to support data storage, speed, analytics and interoperability requirements of precision medicine. The insights will be collected and delivered in a report to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
“Meeting the Challenges of Precision Medicine – Enhancing Innovation and Mitigating Risk”
Tuesday, Dec. 13, Room Potomac D, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
The panelists will address the unique challenges of precision medicine, new ways to identify and reduce risks and potential liability, the state of regulatory enforcement and guidance, and a roadmap to mitigate these issues. They will also explore ways to promote patient engagement and trust by protecting the privacy and security of patient data from multiple sources.
Speakers include India Hook-Barnard, director of research strategy at the University of California, San Francisco and Nephi Walton, a biomedical informaticist at the Washington University School of Medicine.