In recent years, the intersection of healthcare and artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to a revolutionary approach to patient care, personalised medicine. This innovative model tailors medical treatment to each patient's characteristics, considering their genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors. As India advances in healthcare, integrating AI in personalised medicine promises to transform patient care and significantly improve health outcomes. 

 The Current Landscape of Healthcare in India 

India's vast and diverse population faces unique challenges in delivering effective healthcare to its citizens. The traditional one-size-fits-all approach to medical treatment often needs to address the individual variations among patients. Genetic predispositions, environmental influences, and lifestyle choices contribute to the country's healthcare delivery complexity. 

With over 1.4 billion people, healthcare and related industries such as life sciences and insurance are critical components of the Indian economy and the national government's social policy agenda. Despite being historically dominated by the private sector, India's healthcare industry has seen increased cooperation and synergies between and among government and private entities, such as public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission, which was launched in 2017, and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) component, which was launched in September 2018 to create the world's largest health assurance scheme. 

The Role of Personalised Medicine 

Personalised medicine aims to move beyond the conventional methods of diagnosis and treatment by recognising that each patient is unique. By leveraging advancements in genomic sequencing, AI, and big data analytics, healthcare providers can now gain deeper insights into an individual's health profile. This allows for developing targeted therapies and interventions more likely to be effective and have fewer adverse effects. 

A cutting-edge collaboration between renowned Indian healthcare chains and AI experts has birthed a revolutionary system to transform health management. The focus is on a meticulous and personalized approach to monitoring chronic conditions, and they are already working on diabetes taking centre stage. 

In this dynamic partnership, healthcare giants are joining AI wizards to craft a state-of-the-art surveillance system. Imagine a digital guardian angel tirelessly watching over individuals managing diabetes, ensuring every heartbeat and glucose level is accounted for. 

AI's Contribution to Personalised Medicine 

Artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in the success of personalised medicine. Machine learning algorithms can analyse vast amounts of genetic and clinical data to identify patterns and correlations that may not be apparent through traditional methods. What makes this collaboration truly remarkable is the infusion of artificial intelligence into the realm of health management. This is not just about monitoring; it's about predictive analysis, personalized insights, and proactive interventions. Like a health sidekick, the AI system learns from vast datasets and adapts to individual health nuances. It doesn't just track the numbers; it deciphers patterns, anticipates potential health fluctuations, and empowers individuals with actionable recommendations.  

In India, where the diversity of genetic profiles is significant, AI can aid in uncovering population-specific insights that can inform personalised treatment strategies- 

• Genomic Medicine: AI can analyse genetic data to identify genetic variations associated with specific diseases. This allows healthcare professionals to predict an individual's susceptibility to certain conditions and customise prevention and treatment plans accordingly. 
• Drug Discovery and Development: AI accelerates the drug discovery process by predicting the effectiveness of potential drugs based on an individual's genetic makeup. This not only streamlines the development of new therapies but also ensures that patients receive medications most likely to work for them. 
• Precision Diagnostics: AI-powered diagnostics can enhance the accuracy of medical tests and imaging, leading to more precise and early detection of diseases. This is crucial for designing targeted treatment plans that maximise efficacy. 
• Treatment Personalisation: AI algorithms can analyse patient data, including genetic information, clinical history, and lifestyle factors, to recommend personalised treatment plans. This tailored approach can significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of adverse reactions. 

Challenges and Opportunities 

While the potential benefits of AI in personalised medicine are immense, some challenges need to be addressed. Data privacy concerns, ethical considerations, and the need for widespread technology adoption are among the hurdles that must be overcome. Additionally, ensuring accessibility to these advanced healthcare technologies across diverse socio-economic strata in India is crucial for the success of personalised medicine initiatives. 

When the legislative body is putting up the best efforts to implement the most efficient legal setup to regulate AI-operated works in the best possible output for the citizens, the existing laws may face difficulty in managing the whole scenario that the implementation of AI in patient care shall change. 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the concept of digital health has grown in popularity. It connects the healthcare sector to cutting-edge technology to improve healthcare efficiency in the country while offering patients a more personalised healthcare experience. 

According to the Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act of 2018, 'digital health data' gives a digital record of a patient's physical and mental health state, medical history, healthcare services used, etc. This can be essential as one of the primary and core data for AI for successful and most effective personalised medicine. 

However, there have been no particular norms or provisions regarding telemedicine or healthcare by video, phone, or other Internet-based platforms such as email, chat, web apps, etc. 

Currently, the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945, the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practises and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 primarily govern how medicine is practised. As a result, gaps in the legislation and a lack of clarity regarding the rules pose considerable hazards to doctors and patients. 

Data security is critical for maintaining the anonymity of communication between patients and healthcare practitioners about their health, suggestions, and results. Any misuse of such data regarding patients may lead to a fatal result, which is an acute need to be controlled and prevented. 

The present legal framework for e-health protection in India is governed by the IT Act of 2000 and the SPDI Rules of 2011. They provide specific safeguards in collecting, disclosing, and transferring confidential personal information, such as an individual's medical history. 

The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act of 2010 requires all clinical institutions to maintain electronic medical records (EMR) for all patients whose registrations must be maintained. As a result, the adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) has increased nationwide, with various medical institutions and healthcare professionals beginning to record their patient histories in EMRs. 

Digital platform service providers are typically preoccupied with analysing and managing the transition phase while installing and adopting new technologies. As a result, some of their essential duties include updating and improving IT systems, training employees, understanding the importance of market demand and in-line supply, and having skilled leadership that supports them at all times. 

On the other hand, sensitive healthcare and insurance data is a tempting target for cyberattacks such as ransomware and denial of service. In 2022, the Indian healthcare industry saw more than 1.9 million cyberattacks, including an attack on the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi in November 2022, which forced it to shut down many of its servers and convert to manual operations. The critical challenge is to guarantee that innovation does not weaken data protection. 

Conclusion 

The future of personalised medicine in India holds great promise, driven by integrating AI into healthcare practices. As technology advances, the ability to deliver targeted, effective, and customised healthcare solutions will become increasingly feasible. By embracing the transformative potential of AI in medicine, India has the opportunity to revolutionise patient care, moving towards a healthcare landscape that genuinely prioritises the unique needs of each individual. The collaboration between healthcare professionals, researchers, and technology experts will play a vital role in shaping this future and unlocking the full potential of personalised medicine in India. 

This groundbreaking collaboration is a testament to the collaboration of healthcare expertise and artificial intelligence, propelling us into a future where health management is not just a routine but a personalized, proactive, and empowering journey. 

YouTube video by Dr. Anoop Misra, endocrinologist, Fortis Healthcare