Personalized genomic medicine is a way to improve your health using your family history, medical history, genetic information, and lifestyle

The four Ps of personalized genomic medicine are:

• Personalized: risks are uniquely yours
• Predictive: predicts the chances of developing certain disorders
• Preventive: based on genetic test results and specific lifestyle behaviors, offers healthy solutions to decrease disease risk
• Participatory: requires your involvement

Information about your genome (your DNA), which includes:

• Family health history
• Diseases and risks of health problems that
  run in your family
• Family stories

The human genome contains all of a person’s genetic information

• It is made of DNA
• It is a series of 3 billion base pairs, the building blocks of DNA
• Base pairs consist of letters (A, C, G, T) that are the code to make 20,000 to 30,000 genes
• Genes are the instructions for our bodies

• It may help diagnose a disease you already have
• It may help your doctor decide which medicine and how much of that medicine will work best for you (pharmacogenomics)
• It may tell you if you are at risk to develop a disease in the future

• Diseases that run in your family
• Rare diseases
• Common diseases such as diabetes, which are caused by both DNA changes and your environment

• We do not fully understand all diseases at this time
• We do not fully understand all genes or all of their changes at this time
• It cannot tell you when you will develop disease
• It may or may not be able to tell you how severe the disease will be

Scientists and doctors are using recent research discoveries to improve medical care

• Recently, new DNA tests make studying your DNA easier, faster, and cheaper than in the past
• The new tests can give detailed information about:
  • Specific genes (targeted sequence capture)
  • All of the genes that make proteins in a person (whole
    exome sequencing)
  • All of the DNA in your genome (whole genome sequencing)

• You can talk to your doctor about PGM
• You can contact a genetic counselor
• Visit the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) online directory to find a genetic counselor (www.nsgc.org)