NHS invests £175m into genomic-based healthcare research led by Genomics England

The UK is hoping to launch itself as the global standard for genomic healthcare and precision medicine. Currently, genome-informed healthcare decisions are a rarity due to the practices being expensive and limited research on rare genetic diseases. Therefore, the NHS is funding a £105m ground-breaking research study with Genomics England to identify the benefits of using whole genome sequencing to identify and treat rare genetic diseases in newborn babies that are not detectable with routine prenatal and natal screening. The study aims to sequence the genomes of 100,000 babies to determine whether genomic screening at birth should be the global standard. Additionally, the NHS donated £26m in partnership with Genomics England to improve cancer diagnosis using artificial intelligence-led analysis of a patient’s DNA. Lastly, the NHS is funding a program led by Genomics England to sequence 25,000 participants of non-European ancestry to increase diversity in genomic research. This NHS-funded research will bring current healthcare solutions closer to more precise and customised care regimes.

These genome-based studies will propel the UK as the gold standard for not only newborn genetic disorder screening and treatment but also for building a large and inclusive genome data bank and improving cancer diagnosis via genome sequencing. This, in turn, would encourage other countries and organizations to increase research and development spending in genomic-led healthcare. GlobalData predicts that with this increased country level of spending on next-generation sequencing (NGS) in healthcare, there will be adoption by other countries. Furthermore, there will be a rise in genome sequencing of other population minorities to improve our understanding of genetic diseases and their impact on health outcomes. Additionally, GlobalData anticipates a growing market for NGS tests for newborn screening, particularly in rare genetic diseases sparked by the research done by Genome England. GlobalData anticipates a large and growing market for genetic-based, personalized health solutions the technologies will help diagnose patients sooner, establish more efficient treatment plans, and improve preventive measures in our healthcare systems.