Integrating science and medicine in the treatment of chronic disease

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, chronic respiratory disorders and cancer represent the major global health problem of the 21st century and affect all age groups. The cost of treating these diseases is substantial, and for many countries is an under-appreciated cause of poverty.

In Genome Medicine journal an international group of scientists and medical doctors, in which it’s our Director Josep M. Antó, have proposed an integrated approach by promoting the concept of "medical system" in order to facilitate an integrated investigation of these diseases and move to a more personalized therapeutic orientation.  

As chronic NCD are influenced by similar environmental and lifestyle factors such as nutrition and exposure to pollutants or tobacco, and patients often have several NCDs, the team believes they should be investigated as a group. Even loss in biodiversity, through climate change and industrialization, affects available nutrition and economic expectations.

Source: Biomed Central