But some geneticists say that such an isolated population is not necessarily advantageous, because it may lead to a quirky distribution of genes. The British population is likely to be more representative of the western world. Professor Tom Meade, who chairs the UK Population Biomedical Collection working group, expects to put firm proposals to the MRC and Wellcome early next year. Genetic samples would be taken from adults, who would then be monitored to see how variations in their DNA relate to the development of these diseases and the effectiveness of treatments. We think the best way of recruiting that number is probably through GPs.
Funding is unlikely to be sufficient to undertake both approaches.
The pharmaceutical industry is enthusiastic. Michael Dexter, director of the Wellcome Trust, says companies must have access to the data, for use in drug development, if patients are to derive the maximum benefit from the exercise. The solution may be to have a consortium of companies sponsoring the project, with open access to the data. A long-term commitment is needed, as it will take several years to turn DNA samples into better healthcare.