Medicine, particularly at the molecular level, is advancing fast. In as little as a decade we may know from our genes, with great precision, what diseases to expect in life. Sequencing our genome may become a routine part of a regular physical, like blood tests today. Cancer-the quintessential genomic disease-will be diagnosed far more accurately than has been possible until now, and evidence-based treatments will be equally precisely prescribed. The 21st century promises to be the era of genomically informed preventive and personalized medicine. But is our healthcare system-still struggling to introduce electronic health records-prepared for this revolution? And are the rest of us-faced with the practical and bioethical implications of this revolution-ready for the change? Biomedical innovator and businessman Patrick Soon-Shiong and Arizona State University President Michael Crow visit Zócalo to discuss the promise and the challenge of this medical revolution.
