Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine: A Position Paper on Personalized Medicine in Sustainable Healthcare

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Over the last decade, the emergence and spread of personalized medicine (PM) have defined a substantial revolution in healthcare. In principle, healthcare system sustainability is challenged by the investments required for research and development, as well as the adoption of PM techniques in routine clinical care. The “Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine” (IC2PerMed) EU-funded project aims to integrate China into the “International Consortium for Personalized Medicine” (ICPerMed). IC2PerMed aims to align the EU and China’s research agendas in this field to enable a swift development of approaches in the EU and China with strong leverage upon EU-Chinese collaborations. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Within this project, we first mapped relevant policies on PM in both the EU and China, and then we involved European and Chinese experts in PM in workshops and Delphi surveys in order to identify relevant priorities for the implementation of PM in sustainable healthcare. <b><i>Results:</i></b> As a result of this process, we identified nine overarching priorities, each addressing specific aspects of the sustainability of healthcare systems and PM implementation, with the main goal of supporting policymakers in integrating PM approaches in the EU and China. <b><i>Discussion/conclusion:</i></b> The implementation of PM in health systems is appealing in terms of improved accuracy in diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of disease, as well as reduction of the side effects resulting from inefficient use of drugs. Research, development, and implementation of needed techniques require time and resources that can slow the adoption of PM in healthcare systems. The nine priorities we identified address some of the most critical points, trying to lay the foundations for a comprehensive approach.