Ethical Challenges in Precision Medicine from the Perspective of Health EquityEthical Challenges in Precision Medicine from the Perspective of Health Equity

Mojtaba  Norouzi; Ali Akbar  Haghdoost; Mina Mobasher

doi:10.18502/ijme.v16i5.15941

Mojtaba Norouzi PhD candidate of Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran.
Ali Akbar Haghdoost Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, HIV Surveillance Research Center and WHO Collaborating, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Mina Mobasher Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics, Department of History and Medical Ethics, School of Persian Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijme.v16i5.15941

Keywords: Precision Medicine, Medical ethics, Social Justice.

Abstract

Scientists now believe that precision medicine, which employs complicated technology and information derived from omics, can treat complex diseases and provide justice in health. Implementation of precision medicine will face new ethical challenges, considering the principles of medical ethics. With respect to philosophical principles, this study addressed the issue of justice and some ethical challenges of precision medicine. Because, in order to gain the benefits of precision medicine, a proper ethical framework must be developed while considering the challenges. The manner in which precision medicine information is shared and accessed can have an impact on people’s future careers, marriage choices, and type of health insurance. Furthermore, preserving people’s privacy and autonomy are important ethical concerns in precision medicine since there will be no perfect guarantee about data security and access. Although in the short and medium term, due to the design of studies and expensive and complex technologies, precision medicine will be limited to certain groups and will intensify the inequality in justice, in the long run, with the easy access and inexpensive cost of precision medicine technologies, the accumulation of medical expenses will decrease throughout life, and justice will be established between and within countries.