PM conference programme_2016.04.05_concise_Clean(Latest)

Ms Alison Hall, Head of Humanities, PHG Foundation
Harm, Discretion or Duty: The Changing Nature of the Return of Individualized Results in
Genomics Research
The advent of genomic sequencing has generated a rich debate about the potential for generating, interpreting,
validating and reporting incidental and secondary findings. The view that it is desirable to ‘actively look’ for well
characterised clinically actionable secondary findings is gaining traction, provided that this can be justified in the
participant’s or patient’s best interests. There is less clarity about how these developments might impact on
researchers undertaking genetics and genomics research and how these might change the nature of the duties and
responsibilities that researchers owe to research participants and the liabilities that might result. This presentation
assesses these developments and the extent to which adopting personalised approaches within genomic research
might change the nature of the relationship between the researcher and research participant. It also explores some
wider consequences for research design, management and funding.
Dr Janice Tsang, Specialist in Medical Oncology, Clinical Assistant Professor Department of Medicine, The
University of Hong KongFounding Convenor, Hong Kong Breast Oncology Group
Precision Medicine for Cancer Care - Prime Time versus Provocation Threat"?
Cancer is an aging disease and a public health issue. With the emerging aging population, cancer has become an
complex health threat with various unmet needs of patients living with the disease. Over the past 2 decades, there
have been great breakthroughs in the changing landscape of the management of cancer - from the advent of
targeted therapy to personalized treatment to the current second wave of personalized medicine with “Precision
Medicine” which involves the increasing visibility of molecular genomic profiling and the potential added value of
next generation sequencing which is now moving towards to the clinic at a fast tempo.
While cancer patients and family members are having high expectation on the holistic cancer care and their
mindfulness with “Precision Medicine” and the easy access to new information of research and development, this
presentation is going to give a bird’s eye view of the current status of Precision Medicine in oncology with updates
of the potential clinical application, yet the attempt to comment whether this is the prime time for all cancer
patients, or this is just the end of another beginning and the emerging potential ethical challenge with some of the
controversies coming from the harvest of translational research.
PRECISION MEDICINE: LEGAL AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES 8