The Danger of Precision Medicine Hesitancy

Abstract Precision Medicine, Personalized Medicine, Stratified Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine: these are all names that have been given to a new medical approach, that overcomes the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach to pharmacotherapy by grounding it in the specific genetic markup of a given individual. Albeit these terms are sometimes used as synonyms, they mark important conceptual and historical differences. The gradual modification of the meaning carried by each term over the last 30 years can lead to confusion and conceptual opacity, especially in the lay public. The unfulfilled promises of earlier versions of this approach in terms of lack of individual empowerment and tangible clinical and economic benefits may foster a sense of disillusion and mistrust. Moreover, recent technological advancements, such as wearable healthcare devices, offer a tool to exploit those feelings commercially. This paper claims that such a situation could lead to the rise of a phenomenon akin to Vaccine Hesitancy, which we call Precision Medicine Hesitancy. Such an emergence carries the risk of undermining decades of collective efforts toward a redefinition of clinical practices. It is a danger of which we should be wary, and that should be prevented.