>> A new study by TMF – technology and method platform for networked medical research e. V. – sees emerging paradigm competition in medical information sciences. Until now, “systematic studies and evaluations of routine data have represented a grown, mature world of science and organization (old school)”. Now, “Big Data, on the other hand, stands for a partially new approach to data that measures, controls and utilizes the world by making available and evaluating large amounts of information from diverse, constantly growing documentation (New School)” (Schepers 2016).
Nevertheless, the art of medicine today must still be understood as a professional ensemble of skills and not as a pre-modern, traditional remnant. Medical action, especially under difficult conditions such as in “critical situations” or under time pressure, is and remains only effective as subjectivizing action in the sense of the old school, based on logic and experience. Health care in its entirety therefore comes from the empirical sciences. However, it has evolved significantly due to new developments such as epidemiology, statistics and genomics. Information becomes a source of system knowledge and a treasure trove of connections in the spirit of the New School. Overall, both schools occupy their own place.
A concrete example makes these two changes and the accompanying tension very clear: Genomics in breast cancer - Arend Sidow, a scientist at Stanford University, systematically searched the collected genomes of breast cancer patients for abnormalities and common patterns in numerous cancer variants (Marx 2013). In this way, he stratifies the material and forms groups for the best selection of cytostatic drugs and radiation. But the work still continues. Genome sequences that are identified as commonalities in the huge data reservoir can then be specifically examined in order to better understand the molecular processes and their derailments. From this new knowledge
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