The new millennium finds us in the midst of a biological revolution driven by the explosive advances of modern biology of the last half-century. The benefits of this knowledge and understanding is especially evident in medicine, where the genetic basis of many diseases is becoming clear and where new therapies for old and new maladies are bringing relief to millions of sufferers. Progress in pharmacogenomics will allow the design of drugs tailor-made for the genetic characteristics of each patient. The knowledge of the genetic health risk factors of individuals at birth should result in careful monitoring and more efficient medical treatments.
Significant advances in science has been and will be required if the new knowledge of biology is to fulfill its promise. The molecular aspects of aging are being studied with the hope of improving the quality of life for people’s late years. Diagnostic techniques for inherited diseases and cancers are steadily increasing and being improved. Vaccines and therapeutics obtained through genetic engineering are already available and many others are on their way. Current progress in the application of gene therapies and/or other genomic approaches may provide further promising avenues for the future.
Biotechnology, in particular, is helping our life by changing the odds of serious, life-threatening conditions, reducing rates of infectious disease, tailoring treatments to individuals and creating more precise tools for disease detection.
Since 1982, millions of people worldwide have been helped by more than 230 biotechnology drugs and vaccines. The pipeline of biotech and pharma companies is enriched by more than 400 biotech drug products and vaccines currently in clinical trials. These new potential treatments target more than 200 diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, AIDS and arthritis. Biotechnology is also responsible for hundreds of medical diagnostic tests that keep the blood supply safe from the AIDS virus and detect other conditions early enough to be successfully treated.