[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A forum for discussion will be held regarding precision medicine technology, which refers to personalized medical and healthcare services that diagnose or treat diseases by analyzing patients' genetic information and lifestyle data.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 30th that it has designated 'precision medicine technology' as a subject for technology impact assessment and will hold a citizen forum composed of general citizens before the evaluation.
Technology impact assessment is a system that evaluates in advance the effects that future technologies may have on society as a whole. This assessment is conducted through the 'Technology Impact Assessment Committee' from an expert perspective and a 'Citizen Forum' from a citizen perspective.
Precision medicine technology analyzes an individual's genetic information, clinical data, and lifestyle information to provide optimal personalized medical and healthcare services for diagnosis, treatment, prediction, prevention, and management of diseases. Currently, research activities are mainly conducted in the fields of cancer and rare diseases, and it is expected to expand into the healthcare sector in the future.
The citizen forum related to precision medicine will be held four times over two months starting next month. Citizens who wish to participate can apply from the 1st to the 14th of next month through the websites of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning.
The Ministry of Science and ICT will also operate an online participation window where the general public can submit opinions from the 1st until October 8th. Opinions will be accepted on the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning website. The government is also planning a public debate for citizens around November.
Lee Seok-rae, Director of the Performance Evaluation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "It is very important to think together in advance about the ripple effects of precision medicine technology related to the health of the people," and added, "We hope many people will participate in this evaluation and engage in active discussions about the impact this technology will have in the future."
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