EAACI Annual Congress 2019

PRECISION MEDICINE: THE CHALLENGE OF DISCOVERY

Medicine is an ever-evolving field. New breakthroughs are being made all the time, but there are some discoveries that will always stand out as changing human thinking forever. The concept of Precision Medicine is one of them. If the ambitious goal of precision medicine is to be achieved, it requires the creative and energetic involvement of many, from biologists, physicians and technology developers, data scientists, patient groups, governments, and more. Global, multi-discipline partnerships, innovative health IT, and rethinking healthcare are important prerequisites to move the field forward. Before the precision medicine approach is broadly advocated, there is an urgent need to show robust data on its value. We need to encourage “valuable” innovation and enterprises willing to assume the risk in developing precision-medicine approaches, while continuously measuring and documenting the benefit.

And where can we start the voyage of discovery for implementing the precision medicine approach if not in Portugal where The Age of Discovery started. In addition to the discovery and colonization of far off lands, these years were filled with major advances in the study of anatomy and optics. Because of this historical period, world maps are now available. Why not draw our own map of the new world of allergy in Lisbon?

When the expeditions began, Europeans knew virtually nothing about the area past Cape Bojador on the west coast of Africa. Superstition had kept them from going farther. But under Henry’s orders, Portuguese sailors moved beyond Bojador. Henry the Navigator, a 15th century Portuguese prince, was curious about the world; he was interested in new navigational aids and better ship design and was eager to test them. Henry is also credited with furthering knowledge of geography, mapmaking and navigation. Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Magellan followed. The Age of Exploration has had one of the greatest impacts on global relations of any other historic period or event. Thus Lisbon is the ideal starting point for building the global partnership to advance the field of precision medicine for allergy and asthma.

Lisbon 2000 was my first EAACI Congress. It seems that I embarked on a long and challenging journey of discovery. What did I learn? When your colleagues become family, work becomes a home. And I do hope that EAACI is home for all our dedicated members and friends choosing to spend quality time with EAACI each year at its annual Congress.

Let us be curious and brave again and challenge the allergy epidemics with the innovative approach of precision medicine. Join EAACI in Lisbon to co-author our own great historical epic Lusiads.

Ioana Agache
EAACI President 2017-2019

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