Challenges of Personalized Medicine: Socio-Legal Disputes and Possible Solutions

Abstract

We are living in an era of epic transformation and advancement of medical science and technology, which allows us to gather comprehensive information about a person's health and predict and even prevent a disease. The focus on personalized or individualized medicine presents new challenges, not only in the fields of medical sciences, biotechnology, and nanotechnology but also in the fields of social law and economy, where the consequences of medical activities are manifested. The existence of technically available and possible methods of diagnostic and treatment raises the question whether there could be a constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right of access to them. What consequences would the introduction of personalized medicine in compulsory health insurance systems have? Is it possible, would it destruct or reconstruct the essential features of compulsory health insurance? These are just some of the issues this paper aims to address.