Translational Medicine
Medical practice based on interventional epidemiology is called Translational medicine. By using the studies of health in society, translational medicine deals with medical issues on a collaborative level by incorporating research from basic, social and political sciences. Advocates consider it to be the next logical step after evidenced-based-medicine.
The goal of translational medicine is to enhance patient treatment and preventative measures, with the aim of expanding outside of the health care arena. Basically, it’s the system of creating drugs and medical devices to be used in patient care, out of suitable biological findings.
Translational Medicine is based on Translational Research, which is the natural progression from evidenced based medicine to workable solutions for public health issues. The main goal is to support a healthy society.
Translational research is contingent on teams of scientists and researchers with a broad knowledge base, who can concentrate on bringing basic scientific innovations together with clinical studies. Taking political and social science indications into account, those findings would then be translated into changes in clinical applications.
There are three phases to translational research:
Phase 1 Translational Research uses randomized clinical trials to investigate possible treatments and reviews their necessity, safety and effectiveness. This began in pharmacotherapy and was the foundation of evidenced based medicine.
Phase 2 Translational Research takes the findings from phase 1 and examines how this translates into real life, using real patients.
Phase 3 Translational Research takes the effective results from phase 2 and applies necessary data to create sustainable solutions. Using this information, governments can make policy based on clinical evidence.
Implications of translational medicine
We are coming to the end of the time when our current health care services can abate illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and other related diseases. It is time for social, political, basic and clinical sciences to come together. To improve the health and life expectancy of world populations, training needs to be provided for policy makers so as to award funding to research efforts. This is necessary to better understand the effect of society, the environment and culture on health issues. Evidence gained from this research will guarantee that public policy decisions are evidence based.