Genome Med. 2015 Jan 22;7(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s13073-015-0132-8. eCollection 2015.

How behavioral economics can help to avoid 'The last mile problem' in whole genome sequencing.

Blumenthal-Barby JS1, McGuire AL1, Green RC2, Ubel PA3.

Author information

• 1Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza MS 420, Houston, TX 77030 USA.
• 2Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
• 3Fuqua School of Business and Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Fuqua Drive, Durham, NC 27708 USA.

Abstract

Failure to consider lessons from behavioral economics in the case of whole genome sequencing may cause us to run into the 'last mile problem' - the failure to integrate newly developed technology, on which billions of dollars have been invested, into society in a way that improves human behavior and decision-making.