We are in the initial stages of a fundamental revolution in healthcare. We are moving from a “sickcare” system that treats people after they become ill using a “one size fits all” approach, to a healthcare system that is focused first on preventive healthcare to keep people well and second on tailoring therapies more accurately to the individual and their disease.

This revolution is being driven by new technologies that increasingly allow individuals to be analyzed at the molecular level in a rapid and cost-effective manner. These analyses include sequencing of genomic DNA to determine risk of disease as well as analyses of proteins and small molecules (metabolites) in blood and other bodily fluids to detect disease. Characterization of intestinal bacteria through fecal samples can give additional diagnostic information.

Specific protein or metabolite profiles provide “biomarkers” of incipient or overt disease as well as providing quantitative data that can be used to indicate response to therapy or lifestyle changes.  The availability of personalized, precision medicine technology will dramatically empower the healthcare consumer and will fundamentally disrupt current medical practice.