The future of health and healthcare

Do you want to know how your DNA, genes, and genome play a role in business? Do you want to learn about the people at the heart of this new field and their impact on you and society? In this article, I will explain how technological achievements in genomics have made the human genome accessible and affordable to the general public. Social activities such as DIY biology, companies offering gene therapy and personalized genetic testing, and companies with small achievements in human genomics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and blockchain interfaces have joined hands with academic researchers to build our knowledge framework in this pioneering field.

So where does the public fit into this cycle? Are we consumables or final products? In this article, I will also present different statements about the role of business to the public in this massive change.

The growing human genomics industry

In the past, the main target markets for those involved in the human genome industry were the academic world (universities, research institutes) and the pharmaceutical industry. But over the past decade, a new target audience has emerged -- the general public -- largely because of the falling cost of molecular biology technology (down to about $100). With molecular biology, complete genomes can be read. Many new and old companies, including start-ups, are seizing the opportunity: the genome industry is on track to be worth $24 billion by 2022.

What do these new companies have to offer?

2. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) : Companies in this industry often ask their users to send saliva samples to the company. From these samples, companies can extract all sorts of information, such as a person's predisposition to certain diseases; Whether they have certain abilities; How the subjects' genes differed from those of professional athletes; What kind of diet/exercise/cosmetics are suitable for the subjects; What kind of clothes are suitable for the subjects... It can even predict a subject's ideal type.

4. Buying and Selling genetic data: Some TDC-GT companies have been selling users' genetic information to pharmaceutical companies, which then use the information for mass genetic data studies.

The chart shows the increase in the use of at-home DNA testing kits.

Is there any overlap between the Human Genome Enterprise and other technologies?

The answer is yes. This should come as no surprise as we enter the era of the fourth Industrial Revolution. Today, the human genome interacts with other technologies in many ways -- as follows:

Cloud computing: Big tech companies like Apple, Amazon and Google are offering services that let people store petabytes of genetic data created online. Smaller companies are also using the system to provide similar services (such as hospitals that want to be able to store and manage patients' genetic data).

Ai and Machine Learning: Big pharmaceutical companies are using AI and machine learning to deeply analyze thousands of molecules that could become new drugs in the future. Compared with the traditional method, which uses more human resources and time to do experiments in the laboratory, this new method is clearly more advantageous.

What words will companies use to attract users?

Most companies lure users with the promise of personalized preventive health care or tailored treatments for diseases. Other companies are more focused on entertainment, preferring to use words that draw people to their ancestors, to trace their roots, to learn about their personality traits, to learn about the best makeup or diet for them to improve their health, or even to learn about their pets' behavior. Some companies working at the interface between human genomics and artificial intelligence point out that scientific data is too vast for humans to understand at times -- and that they are therefore at the forefront of accelerating discoveries. DIY bio companies, on the other hand, will appeal to users by spreading the idea that they are "committed to democratizing science."

What is the role of the public in the human genome?

For more than half of new businesses, their target audience is the public. With strong social media and marketing campaigns, they have a huge global reach. In a paper called Omics in Society: Omics in Society: Social, Legal, and Ethical Aspects of Human Genomics In our report on Social, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Human Genomics, we note that while the boom in Human Genomics has opened up many opportunities, Ethical and Legal considerations have sometimes been overlooked. We must include the non-scientific community and work with them on ethical issues such as:

O Lack of international guidance and quality control standards for TDC-GT.

O The rules governing the ownership and confidentiality of genetic data are still vague.

O Lack of consistent ethics for DIY biological experiments on humans and other animals.

If we want to include the public in the policy cycle, we must demonstrate the potential social and/or moral implications of developments in the field of human genomics. In this regard, we need scientists around the world to speak up and share knowledge widely with the public. Only then can we ensure that our dialogue is informed, open and transparent, and that together we can create better policy metrics to move forward in tandem with fast-moving science and technology.