Government

A coming epidemic of noncommunicable disease will produce a "double burden- on developing countries. The North has neglected decisive action to combat these diseases, which are now backyard menaces as the potential for pathogens to cross borders increases and changes of climate create new habitats for disease agents. This mutual destiny could be strongly influenced by the emergence of the science of genomics.Genomics is a disruptive technology with the potential to widen or ameliorate these inequities in global health. Will we harness genomics to improve global health? Will our priority be to invest in designer pharmaco-genomics or to sequence the genome of the malaria parasite to discover new classes of drugs and develop an effective vaccine?Simply put, genomics is the study of the entire genetic material of an organism. In recent decades, new analytical tools and advances in information technology have allowed scientists to map and sequence massive amounts of genetic information and to better understand gene interactions. The first draft of the sequence of the human genome was published in 2001, an event that raised enormous hopes. These developments hold great promise to improve the prevention, identification, and treatment of some of the major diseases affecting humankind, including HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.Already there are examples of successful application of these technologies to health problems in developing countries. For example, using genome-related biotechnologies, health workers can diagnose infectious diseases like dengue fever more rapidly and less expensively than using current techniques. It is known that minor genetic variations between people can influence their responsiveness to certain drug treatments, such as HIV drugs; therefore, tailoring drugs to the specific characteristics of individuals or communities can improve health and cost effectiveness.