Download “Greatest Drug In The World” Activity

Student Writing Exercise for Gene Screen BC
Video “Greatest Drug In The World” Activity
This video was submitted to the Gene Screen BC 2011 Competition sponsored by
Genome BC and BC Clinical Genomics Network.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK8xwYpibec
To the student: Review the student glossary prior to viewing
the video and answering these questions.
Questions to Consider
Either alone or in groups assigned by your teacher, use
complete sentences to answer the following questions. Submit
your answers on the due date. Use your own, original answers
and wording.
1. A. Had you heard of “personalized medicine” prior to watching this film?
b. What does this phrase mean to you now?
c. Do you know anyone who has received a personalized medicine?
2. Scientists are beginning to develop personalized medicines for treating specific
diseases. Choose one condition from the list below. Then, research the disease
you chose. Find out about the advances and challenges that have been made so
far in developing personalized medicine for that particular condition:
List






of diseases/conditions. Select one.
diabetes
Alzheimer’s disease
cancer (choose one form of cancer that interests you)
heart disease
cystic fibrosis
any other disease or condition of interest to you (ask your teacher first)
3. a. How effective do you think personalized medicine can be? For example, do
you think a personalized medication developed for a specific individual
guarantees to cure that person of the disease? Why or why not?
b. If you feel that a personalized medicine might not 100% guarantee a cure,
suggest reasons why this treatment is considered more effective than regular,
non-personalized medication. Remember to not only consider the effect of the
drug on the actual patient, but also how personalized medicine may benefit
the healthcare system as a whole.
4. List at least two questions about personalized medicine that you might be
wondering about.
version 4
Student Writing Exercise for Gene Screen BC
Video “Greatest Drug In The World” Activity
This video was submitted to the Gene Screen BC 2011 Competition sponsored by
Genome BC and BC Clinical Genetics Network.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK8xwYpibec
1. a. Had you heard of “personalized medicine” prior to watching this film?
b. What does the phrase mean to you now?
a. Students will respond to indicate their prior knowledge of the phrase,
‘personalized medicine’.
b. Personalized medicine refers to the tailoring of preventative, diagnostic or
therapeutic interventions to the characteristics of an individual or
population. It does not mean the creation of health interventions targeted
directly to an individual, but rather that the scientific advancements that
underpin personalized medicine provide the ability to classify individuals into
sub-populations based on their susceptibility to a disease, or response to a
specific treatment. This can allow for prevention/intervention strategies and
earlier and/or targeted interventions to improve health outcomes.
2. Scientists are beginning to develop personalized medicines for treating specific
diseases. Choose one condition from the list below. Then, research the disease
you chose. Find out about the advances and challenges that have been made so
far in developing personalized medicine for that particular condition:
List






of diseases/conditions. Select one.
diabetes
Alzheimer’s disease
cancer (choose one form of cancer that interests you)
heart disease
cystic fibrosis
any other disease or condition of interest to you (ask your teacher first)
The decrease in the cost of genome sequencing has significantly increased
advances in and use of personalized medicine. However, much research still
needs to be done in associating susceptibility genes for the particular illness or
disease that is to be targeted.
Students may obtain information from many web sites such as the following:
Diabetes
Canadian Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.ca
Medical news Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s Association: www.alz.org
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Student Writing Exercise for Gene Screen BC
Video “Greatest Drug In The World” Activity
Alzheimer’s disease fact sheet: National Institute on Aging:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
Is the Brain Ready for Personalized Medicine? Studies Suggest Not Quite Yet.
http://www.rwjf.org/en/blogs/human-capitalblog/2013/09/is_the_brain_readyf.html
Cancer
Canadian Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.ca/en/?region=bc
ACGT: Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy: http://www.acgtfoundation.org/
Personalized medicine best way to treat cancer, study argues
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140224133139.htm
Heart Disease
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada:
http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/
Cardiovascular Disease: Public health Agency of Canada:
http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/
Personalized Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467440/
Cystic Fibrosis Canada
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis
http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/
Personalized medicine in cystic fibrosis: dawning of a new era.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22723294
Personalized medicine for cystic fibrosis: treating the basic defect
http://err.ersjournals.com/content/22/127/3.full.pdf
3. How effective do you think personalized medicine can be? For example, do you
think a personalized medication developed for a specific individual guarantees
to cure that person of the disease? Why or why not? If you feel that a
personalized medication might not 100% guarantee a cure, suggest reasons why
this treatment is considered more effective than regular, non-personalized
medication. Remember to not only consider the effect of the drug on the
actual patient, but also how personalized medicine may benefit the healthcare
system as a whole.
Student answers will vary. Currently, no medication can guarantee a cure 100%
of the time. Many drugs work simply to reduce the severity of the illness. One
expectation is that personalized medicine is going to prevent adverse allergic
reactions that some (many?) patients develop against a generally-prescribed
‘blanket’ medicine. Personalized medicine is also going to save money in the
long term as currently, up to 40% of patients do not respond to their drugs.
4. List at least two questions about personalized medicine that you might be
wondering about.
version 4