UK sufferers will profit from a brand new partnership with Thailand to share experience of genome sequencing, collaborate in analysis, schooling and coaching alternatives, information trade and genomics knowledge dealing with.
Yesterday afternoon (Thursday 19 January) the Memorandum of Understanding was signed by UK Health Minister Lord Nick Markham CBE and Thailand’s Minister for Public Health and Deputy Prime Minister H. E. Anutin Charnvirakul. Both nations have dedicated to working collectively on genomics and understanding uncommon and undiagnosed ailments and most cancers, in addition to constructing stronger tutorial and institutional hyperlinks by way of working teams that would begin as early as February 2023.
The collaboration will enable the 2 nations to raised share data on genomics, the examine of individuals’s DNA, together with Genomics Thailand’s 50,000 Genome Initiative and the UK’s pioneering 100,000 Genomes Project led by Genomics England.
Genomic sequencing can pace up prognosis of most cancers, guarantee sufferers with treatable sicknesses obtain therapy sooner and enhance our understanding round how well being outcomes differ by ethnicity to deal with inequalities.
A key lesson learnt from the Covid pandemic was that collaboration with worldwide companions is essential to constructing our personal resilience to well being threats. Thailand has world-leading genomics capabilities, so the landmark new partnership will assist to broaden the UK’s experience on this subject and cement our standing as a world life sciences superpower.
Genomics has the ability to revolutionise healthcare within the UK and internationally, so it’s sensible to be becoming a member of arms with Thailand for this thrilling partnership. Both nations share the widespread objective of enhancing our healthcare techniques with revolutionary know-how and scientific understanding to scale back inequalities and finally save lives.
We sit up for working intently with our counterparts in Thailand to bolster our capacity to supply prognosis for uncommon ailments and develop cutting-edge remedies.
Through our dedication to sharing information, exploring coaching alternatives and pioneering joint analysis initiatives we will collaborate to ship higher well being outcomes at decrease prices.”
Lord Nick Markham CBE, UK Health Minister
Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency Dame Jenny Harries stated:
“Improving the world’s capacity to watch and detect newly rising pathogens is crucial for international well being safety. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated clearly how important genomic surveillance is in serving to us detect and put together for brand spanking new risks to international public well being.
“International co-operation is a vital a part of creating this functionality. I welcome this settlement with the federal government of Thailand which can strengthen our capacity to intently monitor and reply to new well being threats. I sit up for a fruitful and productive collaboration.”
Thailand’s Minister for Public Health and Deputy Prime Minister H. E. Anutin Charnvirakul stated:
“This is the primary partnership between Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care. It marks an vital step for genomics collaboration between the 2 nations.
“With mutual curiosity, Thailand and the UK will come collectively to share information and greatest practices in genomics medication, together with knowledge dealing with, finally to assist deal with and defend the individuals from ailments that we could have by no means been in a position to take action earlier than.”
Chief Scientific Officer for Genomics England Professor Matt Brown stated:
“The potential for genomics to revolutionise the best way we ship healthcare is nice and we’re already beginning to see this transformative science being adopted throughout many areas of drugs. We’re delighted to accomplice with Thailand and share our information and expertise to place the promise of genomics into apply and convey advantages for sufferers worldwide.”
Building on the success of the ground-breaking 100,000 Genomes Project – which has already helped diagnose uncommon illness in a whole lot of kids – the federal government not too long ago allotted new funding to genomics to make sure a greater high quality of life for UK sufferers. In December 2022, £175 million was awarded in new genomics funding to make sure a greater high quality of life for our sufferers, placing the NHS on the entrance foot and affirming our place as a life sciences superpower.
This funding will construct on the world-leading work of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, harnessing innovation to drive enhancements throughout the well being system.
The funding additionally included £25 million of UKRI-MRC funding for a UK-wide new initiative on purposeful genomics, an space of genomic analysis which makes use of molecular instruments resembling gene enhancing to enhance understanding of how genetic variation results in illness and help smarter diagnostics and the invention of latest remedies.
The Memorandum of Understanding builds on the Life Sciences Vision set out in 2021, which commits to delivering a world-class supply on purposeful genomics and the UK is in a robust place to grow to be a pacesetter on this space.
Notes to editors:
The NHS Genomic Medicine Service goals to allow the NHS to harness the ability of genomic know-how and science to enhance the well being of our inhabitants and ship on the commitments within the NHS Long Term Plan together with to:
- To be the primary nationwide well being care system to supply entire genome sequencing as a part of routine care, together with for all kids with most cancers or kids who’re significantly in poor health with a possible genetic dysfunction.
- Increased entry to molecular diagnostics and supply genomic testing routinely to all individuals with most cancers.
- Improve early detection and therapy of high-risk situations together with increasing genomic testing for familial hypocholesterolaemia.
- Linking and correlating genomic knowledge to assist present new remedies, diagnostic approaches and assist sufferers make knowledgeable selections about their care.
These commitments might be delivered by the NHS Genomic Medicine Service for England which can present:
- Consistent and equitable look after the nation’s 55 million individuals.
- Operate to widespread nationwide requirements, specs and protocols.
- Deliver a single nationwide genomic take a look at listing overlaying use of all applied sciences from goal genomic testing to entire genome sequencing.
- Give all sufferers a possibility to take part in analysis for his or her particular person profit and to tell future look after different sufferers.
- Build a nationwide genomic information base to supply actual world knowledge to tell tutorial and business analysis and growth.