title: Educational and social-ethical issues in the pursuit of molecular medicine.
abstract: Molecular medicine is transforming everyday clinical practice from an empirical art to a rational ortho-molecular science. The prevailing concept in this emerging framework of molecular medicine is a personalized approach to disease prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In this mini-review, we discuss the educational and social-ethical issues raised by the advances of biomedical research as related to medical practice; outline the implications of molecular medicine for patients, physicians, and researchers; and underline the responsibilities of academia and the pharmaceutical industry to translate the scientific knowledge to a meaningful improvement of the quality of life across all members of society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Konstantinopoulos
authors.forename: Michalis V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Karamouzis
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000941:ethics*