NHS genetics services will be reorganised into a single, national network to make sure all NHS patients get the same standard of specialist genetic services, regardless of where they happen to live. He also announced new agreements and discussions with the Cancer Research Campaign and American pharmaceutical firm Myriad so that NHS breast cancer patients can have access to the latest research and tests. The Government is to set up a GBP10 million Genetics Knowledge Challenge Fund to establish four genetics knowledge parks, bringing together scientific and medical expertise. Universities, NHS Trusts and private sector firms are expected to develop joint proposals for the parks, which could be based either in existing centres or in new ones. Our job is to prepare for change so we can harness the benefits of genetic discoveries and avoid the dangers we need to secure public approval for progress and to actively prepare our healthcare system for progress too.
Genetic advances can be a force for good.
But that requires active preparation. The genetics revolution has already begun. It is not going to go away. It is time we as a nation started preparing today for the opportunities of tomorrow. Britain's system of socialised health care means citizens can choose to take genetic tests, free from the fear that should they test positive they will face an enormous bill for insurance or treatment, or worse still that they are priced out of care or cover all together.