Al Gore Discusses the Future of Medicine with Scripps' Eric Topol

Former Vice President Al Gore recently sat down with Scripps Health Chief Academic Officer Eric Topol, MD, for a video interview covering a wide range of topics about the future of medicine.

The 40-minute conversation touched on the pros and cons of sequencing the DNA of unborn babies, how digital technology is transforming health care, concern about antibiotic-resistant super bugs, the race with China to dominate the field of genomics and Gore’s decision to adopt a vegan diet.

The video, which was produced by the medical information website Medscape, premiered during the Future of Genomic Medicine Conference held in La Jolla, Calif., by the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI).

Dr. Topol is director of STSI, and he serves as Medscape’s editor-in-chief. He periodically hosts discussions with health care leaders as part of Medscape’s “One-On-One” video series.

During the recent interview with Gore, the former vice president said the public should be paying attention to advances in fetal genome sequencing because of the profound effect the technology could have on individuals and society.

“We need to be pretty careful that we understand the full implications” of making choices based on genes and genetic traits, he told Dr. Topol.

Watch the full Medscape interview: Al Gore on Medicine’s Inconvenient Truths