HOW PREDICTIVE GENOMICS CAN CHANGE THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Let’s talk about Predictive genomics which can transform healthcare, shifting the focus towards prevention and getting better value for the money we spend. In the first of a two-part mini-series, Francesco Floridini explores this new paradigm in healthcare.

Healthcare today is all about treating people who are ill. They experience symptoms, engage with the health system, and receive an intervention ‒ perhaps a drug, a device, surgery or recommendations for lifestyle change. This works well for some. For others, the diagnosis comes too late or the intervention doesn’t work as had been hoped, and doctors must try something else.

Many healthcare systems across the world are perilously approaching the point of no return in terms of sustainability. Ageing, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy nutrition are driving the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as certain types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

There is another way. Predictive genomics (PG) can provide individuals and health systems with key information on who is at risk of a wide range of diseases. And, crucially, how this risk can be reduced to improve outcomes and use finite resources well. Information is power.

Prevention is at the heart of this new model which has the potential to make our systems more sustainable, even in the face of future pandemics, ageing populations and rising rates of chronic disease.

That ‘prevention is better than cure’ is something we say rather than something we do. OECD countries spend around 3% of the health budget on prevention, spread across large programmes including screening, immunisation, smoking cessation and behaviour change initiatives.

According to the researcher, more attention should be paid to the introduction of predictable genomic methods and in general to provide information to people about what kind of habits may be at risk of non-communicable diseases and, most importantly, how this risk can be reduced. According to Florida, the goal is to maintain human health.

This is not some far-off forecast that may or may not materialise. This is happening now. It is already possible to use genomic information to determine the likelihood of someone developing common conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or rare cancers and metabolic diseases. Scientists can calculate the risk of schizophrenia, ADHD and dementia, as well as breast or prostate cancer.

Not all diseases can be prevented using genomics. Yet, predictive genomics can help patients to get the right treatment for them and manage side effects better. Using pharmacogenomics, doctors can take decisions over which chemotherapy to use, and at what dosage, so as to maximise curative effects and minimise side effects.

Thermo Fisher Science has already developed a new NGS system, GENEXUS, which allows to know if the patient is predisposed to different tumours. In addition, it can be used to determine the effectiveness of specific therapy (immune, chemical, targeted), before starting it. which helps the doctor to conduct timely and correct treatment. It should be noted that the research requires minimal intervention by a specialist and gives a guarantee of accuracy.

Source: medtechviews

Learn more about the GENEXUS system at the link: https://bit.ly/3OVUYSK

For more information: support@abmmedical.com.ge