"Fifteen years ago, many questioned the wisdom of sequencing the human genome. There were concerns not only about the technical feasibility of such an effort, but also that its scientific worth would prove too modest to warrant the investment of human and financial capital that the project would require. This collection of essays stands as eloquent testimony to those who overcame such doubts to create, nurture, and finish the sequencing of the human genome in April 2003, a date that will forever stand out in human history. The wide and public availability of the human genome sequence and the other tools spawned by the Human Genome Project have helped to create an unparalleled era of biomedical discovery. It has opened up new avenues for the understanding of the biology of human health and disease. Many of these avenues remain to be fully explored, but this volume already demonstrates that information about genetics and genomics is increasingly permeating our clinical approach to patients."--from the Foreword by Dr. Elias Zerhouni

For more than a century, knowledge about the role of genes has been gradually reshaping perceptions of our health and of ourselves. From Mendel's work with plants and Watson and Crick's model of DNA's double-helix structure to the recent decoding of the human genome, the tremendous advances in our ability to analyze and interpret gene sequences are revolutionizing many aspects of medicine. Genomic Medicine collects and updates an acclaimed series of articles published in the pages of the New England Journal of Medicine since November 2002 that together provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the field of medical genetics and an exploration of where these advances might take medicine over the next decade.

Beginning with a fundamental primer and a useful glossary of terms, the book offers the latest information on the use of genetics to screen, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of diseases, including breast and ovarian cancer and cardiovascular, Alzheimer, and Parkinson disease. Also included are discussions of population screening, pharmacogenetics, and the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of genomic medicine. Edited by leaders in the field, written by experts from around the globe, and brimming with full-color illustrations, Genomic Medicine is an indispensable guide to the full potential of the DNA-based transformation of medicine.

The Second Edition of Asthma and COPD: Basic Mechanisms and Clinical Management continues to provide a unique and authoritative comparison of asthma and COPD. Written and edited by the world's leading experts, it continues to be a comprehensive review of the most recent understanding of the basic mechanisms of both conditions, specifically comparing their etiology, pathogenesis, and treatments.
* Each chapter considers Asthma and COPD in side-by-side contrast and comparison not in isolation - in the context of mechanism, triggers, assessments, therapies, and clinical management
* Presents the latest and most comprehensive understandings of the mechanisms of inflammation in both Asthma and COPD
* Most extensive reference to primary literature on both Asthma and COPD in one source.
* Easy-to-read summaries of the latest advances alongside clear illustrations

Recent concerns about the unexpected adverse effects of marketed drugs, such as COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) inhibitors or specific statins, raise concerns not only about reporting these events during premarket studies, but also about the responsibility for ongoing surveillance of drugs once they are on the market. Sometimes serious adverse drug reactions are fully appreciated only after a drug has been on the market for years. Therefore, when a drug is approved and released to the market, large numbers of patients will be exposed before all the potential adverse effects have been identified and thoroughly studied. Currently, there is no clearly defined process for addressing safety questions about drugs after premarketing research has occurred. In November 2005, the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation convened a workshop to explore issues associated with the reporting of ADEs. The workshop addressed the following questions: How can ADEs be effectively identified, particularly when the adverse effects are rare? How can the direct, causal effects of drugs be distinguished from simple associations? How can health-care professionals and their patients' aid in the identification of drug-related adverse events? How can knowledge of ADEs be more effectively used in clinical practice? Adverse Drug Event Reporting reviews current sources of information on adverse drug events, including the FDA's MedWatch program and the AERS, institutional review boards, and the CMS. This report considers the ways that consumers and advocacy groups can be involved in reporting adverse events, and discusses drug interactions, problems with current databases for capturing and evaluating interactions, and difficulties in communicating information about adverse drug interactions. This report also describes new requirements for information contained on drug labels and how labels can be used to communicate information about risks and drug interactions to consumers and practitioners. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Current Adverse Event Reporting Systems 3 Active Surveillance Systems 4 Consumer Involvement in Reporting Adverse Events 5 Drug-Drug Interactions 6 Drug Labels References A Workshop Agenda B Speaker Biographies