NIH Unveils Precision Medicine, Genomics, Big Data Analytics Plan

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published a detailed framework outlining its vision for the development of its Precision Medicine Initiative, a wide-ranging research program that hopes to integrate healthcare big data analytics, advances in genomics, and targeted therapies into real-world clinical applications.

Announced in President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union Address, the Precision Medicine Initiative intends to create a databank of more than one million patient genomes as researchers delve into the genetic roots of the world’s most intractable diseases.

“We have an incredible opportunity to advance research and make new medical breakthroughs through precision medicine, which tailors disease prevention and treatment to individuals based on genetics, environment and lifestyle,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell in a press release announcing the report...