A Level Biology Practice Exam

What does personalized medicine aim to achieve?

1. General medicine for all patients

2. Standardized treatments for diseases

3. Development of designer medicines for individuals

4. Mass production of common drugs

The correct answer is: Development of designer medicines for individuals

Personalized medicine aims to achieve tailored healthcare that is specifically designed for the individual characteristics of each patient. This approach takes into consideration factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environmental influences to create treatments that are more effective and have fewer side effects for particular individuals. The development of designer medicines for individuals allows healthcare providers to move away from one-size-fits-all solutions, striving instead to cater to the unique biological makeup of each patient. By using advanced technologies, such as genetic testing, personalized medicine can identify the most suitable treatment options, ensuring that therapies are aligned with the patient’s specific needs. This is a significant advancement over traditional medicine, where treatments are often standardized and may not adequately address individual variability in disease response. In contrast, options that suggest general or standardized approaches do not encapsulate the essence of personalized medicine, which purposely targets the individual's therapeutic requirements. Quality healthcare in this context depends on an understanding of the patient's unique genetic and molecular profile, steering clear from mass production or uniform treatment strategies.