D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S
and go to coffee breaks , mostly talking about something else !
Here is a sneak peek at how the future might look . Doctors will spend more time talking about your future health rather than your medical history . There will be more pre-emptive measures to prevent disease compared to reactive ones following its onset . Whole genome sequencing will be so affordable that every newborn can have the entire DNA code stored in an electronic medical record or even like yeast . These need to be regulated and monitored . Insurance companies might want to know more about what your DNA hides before they get you to sign their policy . Laws should proactively be enforced to prevent potential discrimination . Patient privacy , the right to know about genetic risks and even the right not to know are ethical issues that also need to be addressed .
At Qatar Foundation , we were fortunate to have a leadership that foresaw all of this .
In December 2013 , Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser announced her vision to launch the Qatar Genome Program ( QGP ) to spearhead Qatar ’ s ambition to become a global pioneer in the implementation of precision health . In 2015 , the first genomes were sequenced in collaboration with Sidra Medicine , signaling the largest sequencing operation in the Middle East at the time and placing QGP within the ‘ premier league ’ of international large-scale genome projects .
Dr Said Ismail , Director of Qatar Genome carry it along when moving between different healthcare systems . Remember when some countries used to put your blood group on your ID so that if you had an accident and needed a blood transfusion , doctors at the emergency room knew what to do ? Well , there might soon be a day when you can have a lot more medically relevant information , e . g ., your genome data , using a chip on your ID .
Bioinformatics tools will also develop and provide a very precise ' score ' of your risk for a certain disease based on the analysis of multiple genes ; the Polygenic Risk Score ( PRS ). People will discuss their PRS for type 2 diabetes or hypertension as they now discuss their blood sugar or blood pressure levels .
This genomic revolution will also come with challenges . Direct-To-Consumer ( DTC ) companies offering all sorts of information about your genome will be burgeoning
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