Genetic mapping of babies by 2019 will transform preventative medicine (and raise privacy issues)
Dr Jay Flatley, CEO of Illumina has predicted that genetic profiling at birth will be commonplace in 2019. "This will open a new approach to medicine, by which conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can be predicted and prevented and drugs prescribed more safely and effectively."
The prospect of genome screening has become much more feasible since advancements in the technology have made the technique vastly more affordable... "By examining which genetic variants a person has inherited, it is possible to identify the raised risks of developing an array of conditions, including cardiovascular disease and many cancers. Those at high risk can then be screened more regularly, or given drugs and dietary advice to lower their chances of becoming ill."
As DNA affects the way certain drugs are metabolised, personal genomes could also be used to ensure patients get the medicine that is most likely to work for them.
This development will raise some difficult questions relating to individuals privacy. Dr Flatley has speculated that many people will be reluctant to have their genome read, for fear that the results could be be used against them by an employer of insurance company.
Imagine, for instance, that after genetic screening, you are suddenly ineligible for health insurance, or are rejected from certain types of employment because of previously unforeseen health risks.
Dr Flatley concludes that as the benefits become clearer, however, he believes that most people will want their genomes read and interpreted. The apparent benefits would soon eclipse the hazards.
I have included a totally unrelated Rap Video on Gene Expression for your viewing pleasure
original article at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article5689052.ece
