As the Economist explained earlier this year, genomics is a British success story, with the country managing to sequence the Covid virus faster and in greater volumes than any other country in the world. A new report from the Government Office for Science explores how this strength can impact lives in a wide range of ways, from sport to education.
“Now is the time to consider what might be possible, and what actions government and the public could take to ensure the widespread application of genomics can occur in a way that protects and benefits us all,” Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser says. “This report looks at the current landscape of genomics, investigates how the science is developing, and looks at what is possible now, what might be possible in the future.”
Expanding scope
The report explains that genomics has, understandably, been used primarily in health and medical research up to now, with applications helping to produce better diagnoses, more effective treatments, or detecting variants of Covid. It argues, however, that it can do much more, and provide valuable insights into our traits and behaviors.
The costs associated with sequencing a single human genome have fallen rapidly since the first was sequenced over 20 years ago. What once took billions of pounds can now be accomplished for around £800 in less than a day.
Suffice to say, as the technology becomes more powerful, it will be vital that policy and regulation adapt. The authors recommend that areas such as privacy, security, and anonymity be key considerations when rules and regulations around genomics are crafted.
The authors are bullish, however, in terms of the possibilities for the technology, which they believe could provide insights into the academic potential of children, the risk of drivers in terms of car insurance, and even the way decisions are made in the criminal justice system.
“Genomics has the potential to transform the world we live in, and help us tackle some of the greatest challenges facing our species and planet,” Professor Ewan Birney, EMBL Deputy Director General and Director of EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL–EBI) says. “This report is a timely reminder that policymakers and the public need the right information at the right time, to understand and exploit the insights these new technologies provide.”
While it’s likely that we will need to wait some time before genomic information is utilized in some of the ways outlined in the report, the authors hope that by alerting policymakers to the need for appropriate regulation now, it will give society ample time to suitably prepare so that the technology works to the benefit of all.
