It’s far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has. – Hippocrates (460-370) B.C.
"Precision medicine" is not a new concept. It was a term coined by Eric Topol and then parroted by President Barak Obama As early as 435 B.C. Hippocrates gave us the quote noted above.
Hippocrates established this idea long before the science of biochemistry, genomics, proteomics and DNA sequencing. Since 400 B.C. we have managed to prove his hypothesis, expanding our understanding and developing nomenclature to connect the dots.
Physicians have studied diseases and pathology to understand their process better. Each person however reacts differently to the disease, and so too does the disease react differently to the patient. It clearly defines to what the term 'patient-centered medicine' applies.
To say that the disease choses the person is to 'humanize' illness. Illness is what occurs when disease conquers human defense mechanisms. in truth, a constant battle is taking place in our bodies each day as bacteria, viruses, autoimmunity and uncontrolled cell multiplication takes place. Inherent in our bodies is a wide array of defense mechanisms. Cellular immunity, circulating antibodies, free radical scavenging biochemisty, enzymatic defense, inflammatory mechanisms, apoptosis and others.
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