Indian healthcare industry keen on paving way for accessible & scalable precision medicine

Indian healthcare industry is keen on paving the way for accessible and scalable precision medicine. This is by maximising advancements in genomics, artificial intelligence, and digital health infrastructure. The Union government has recently set up the Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine to improve disease detection, optimise treatment strategies, and reduce the trial-and-error approach in medical prescriptions.

Precision Medicine is shaping the future of healthcare. It offers treatments tailored to individuals' genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. This shift from a one-size-fits all approach to personalized care promises more accurate diagnoses, better disease prevention, and improved patient outcomes. Maximizing advanced technologies is crucial to driving scalable and effective healthcare solutions in this evolving field, stated Harshal Kamalakar Sawant, practice head of healthcare software services, Tata Elxsi.

Yet precision medicine needs to offset issues of data integration, regulatory compliance and tech scalability. There are technological barriers and innovation can accelerate the pace of growth. While advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing are crucial for precision medicine, several technological barriers must be addressed to achieve seamless integration and scalability, he added.

AI models require massive computational power to analyse vast, multimodal datasets ranging from genomics and imaging to real-time sensor data. However, scalable infrastructure, real-time data processing, and interoperability remain significant hurdles. Data silos across healthcare systems and proprietary restrictions further limit AI’s ability to generate holistic, patient-centric insights. Additionally, AI solutions must be designed to generalize across diverse patient populations while ensuring fairness and mitigating bias, Sawant stated.

Regulatory challenges also play a role, as AI-driven autonomous decision-making, explainability, and compliance with evolving standards (FDA, EMA, HIPAA, GDPR) require careful consideration. The integration of AI with legacy healthcare systems and the reluctance of clinicians to adopt AI-driven automation further slowdown adoption, he said.

Despite these barriers, emerging innovations such as federated learning for privacy-preserving data sharing, digital twin technology for personalized simulations, and AI-driven predictive diagnostics are paving the way for scalable and accessible precision medicine. Addressing these challenges through cross-industry collaboration, regulatory advancements, and AI-human synergy will be key to transforming healthcare and delivering truly personalized, effective, and equitable treatment solutions, Sawant told Pharmabiz

Realizing the full potential of precision medicine requires overcoming challenges in data integration, regulatory compliance, and technological scalability. Cross-industry collaborations will be crucial in advancing interoperable, ethical, and patient-centric healthcare solutions. Agentic AI will play a transformative role by autonomously analyzing complex biomedical data, optimizing treatment pathways, and continuously adapting to new medical insights. These AI-driven agents can enhance decision-making, automate compliance, and personalize patient care at scale.

By harnessing Agentic AI alongside cutting-edge innovations, the healthcare industry can accelerate the transition of precision medicine from a niche approach to a mainstream, globally accessible standard—delivering truly personalized, efficient, and equitable healthcare, stated Sawant.