The Hindu : National : Centre to enhance investments in genome research: Sibal

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Centre to enhance investments in genome research: Sibal

HYDERABAD: The Central Government has decided to substantially enhance investments in genome research and other life sciences that form the “heart of public health.”

Declining to specify the quantum of investment, Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said though the Department of Biotechnology and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) would make huge investments in R&D in the life sciences, it was not something that should be done by the government alone. Competition and private sector participation in enabling “predictive medicine” to suit individuals would go a long way in addressing healthcare issues.

Mr. Sibal was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the 13th Human Genome Meeting 2008 here on Saturday.

The four-day meeting, with the theme “Genomics and the future of Medicine,” is being attended by 1,200 delegates including leading scientists in the various areas of life sciences from 44 countries.

Concern over MNC investment

In his inaugural address earlier, the Minister expressed concern that multinational companies would not invest in drugs for debilitating diseases like tuberculosis facing tropical countries, as paying the capacity of the afflicted population would not meet their expectations of profit. CSIR’s latest initiative, Open Source Drug Discovery, would become a platform for cultivating ideas which could later move towards drug discovery.

He was equally concerned about the scope for abuse of human genome “in a myriad ways” as science and technology were value neutral. He foresaw a situation in which the entire genetic make-up of an individual could be available as a smart ID card.

“Since the card would contain basic medical features and a set of predispositions, access to such information could affect one’s employment opportunities while they could also face possible discrimination by insurance firms,” he said.

Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) president Edison T Liu stressed that the need for a new direction in fighting diseases, enhancing quality of life and sustainability of human beings through genome research. HUGO was assisting developing countries in meeting aspirations of genetic research that was moving away from “mere observation” to “true genetic engineering.”

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