UK to Kick Off Landmark Project for DNA Treatment of Rare Diseases

UK Health Department stated that National Health Service project aimed at using DNA for the treatment of rare diseases and cancer is to kick off at 11 chosen medical centers across the country.

MOSCOW, December 22 (Sputnik) — UK National Health Service (NHS) project aimed at using DNA for the treatment of rare diseases and cancer is to kick off at 11 chosen medical centers across the country, the Health Department said Monday.

“The initiative involves collecting and decoding 100,000 human genomes [genes]… It is anticipated that over 75,000 people will be involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease,” the statement published on the government’s official website said.

The three-year project was launched earlier this year by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to improve diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases and place the United Kingdom at the forefront of advanced healthcare systems, as reported in the statement.

“Embracing genomics will position us at the forefront of science and make the NHS the most scientifically advanced healthcare system in the world,” the NHS England’s National Medical Director Prof. Sir Bruce Koegh was quoted as saying in the statement.

Koegh added that the ambition was achievable and would unlock longstanding “mysteries of disease”.

The 11 chosen Genomic Medical Centers (GMCs) will collect samples from the thousands involved and will send the results back to the NHS for validation and clinical action.