Aim of The Virtual Physiological Human
VPH related projects have received substantial funding from the European Commission in order to further scientific progress in this area. The European Commission is insistent that VPH-related projects demonstrate strong industrial participation and clearly indicate a route from basic science into clinical practice. In the future, it is hoped that the VPH will eventually lead to a better healthcare system which aims to have the following benefits:
- personalized care solutions
- reduced need for experiments on animals
- more holistic approach to medicine
- preventative approach to treatment of disease
Personalized care solutions are a key aim of the VPH, with new modelling environments for predictive, individualized healthcare to result in better patient safety and drug efficacy. It is anticipated that the VPH could also result in healthcare improvement through greater understanding of pathophysiological processes. The use of biomedical data from a patient to simulate potential treatments and outcomes could prevent the patient from experiencing unnecessary or ineffective treatments. The use of in silico (by computer simulation) modelling and testing of drugs could also reduce the need for experiments on animals.
A future goal is that there will be also be a more holistic approach to medicine with the body treated as a single multi organ system rather than as a collection of individual organs. Advanced integrative tools should further help to improve the European healthcare system on a number of different levels that include diagnosis, treatment and care of patients and in particular quality of life.
The Virtual PHysiological Human is in conclusion a framework of methods and technologies that once fully established will make possible Personalised, Predictive, and Integrative medicine.
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