Would you want to know that you were genetically predisposed to developing a disease or condition for which we today have no cure, nor any real therapeutic course of management? This is a question more and more of us will need to answer. Science and medicine are moving so quickly today that we are now at the crossroads where diagnostics can begin to out-pace therapy.
My colleague and fellow CoreNationRant-er Ken Kramer asked me recently whether I would want to know if I had the gene for alzheimer’s disease even though it cannot be cured or managed effectively today. My answer was, “Absolutely, yes!” reasoning that I would be able to manage my life with respect to the complications that might arise, protecting my family and my business endeavors from myself. I have witnessed this disease first-hand through a friend’s family. Those who are affected don’t always know that their capacity has been limited. At that point it may be too late to make the needed changes in one’s life. The counterpoint to the argument was about living in fear and anticipation, with the burden and the possible sense of doom experienced while waiting for the other shoe to drop. There are also the social and ethical questions associated with being profiled by society in some way. Think about the possibilities of not being able to run for public office, being forced into early retirement, being turned down for life or long-term care insurance—and dare I mention the allocation of medical therapies? At the very least, diagnostics companies should consider counseling patients on how to manage the information they have gained and to navigate pathways for seeking medical guidance.
This is truly an exciting time from a research and development perspective. I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Please join this conversation!
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Ken is a great deal more than just the president of a medical communications company. He is something of a hybrid. He’s part marketing manager, part creative director, and part copywriter. To the chagrin of his peers—but to the delight of his clients—Ken is a consummate perfectionist. As a former creative director for a high-end consumer agency, he challenged his creative teams to go beyond the mundane to produce work with real creative impact, something he’s just as fervent about today. From producing and directing TV commercials, to launching DTC and Rx-to-OTC switches, Ken brings his clients a world of experience in OTC pharmaceuticals as well as business, lifestyle, and high-end consumer products and services. Whether huddled with clients behind a mirror in a market research center in Houston, facilitating a strategic workshop in Madrid, or developing a global campaign either in the New Jersey or California office, Ken is always fully engaged, bringing “bestness” to all areas of his hectic but full life.
