And open access to the map will allow academic, government, and independent medical researchers worldwide to contribute to the process. If drug companies were to have proprietary access to SNP data, they might charge high prices for access to the information. The SNP Consortium members intend to work together with the other public research already underway, such as the National Human Genome Research Institute and the Medical Research Council's Human Genome Mapping Project, as well as with private projects currently underway. The long-term goal of the project is to engender new therapies for people predisposed to diseases such as arthritis, Alzheimer s, cancer, diabetes, and depression. Such therapies would take five to 10 years in clinical trials and FDA approval.
Scientists expect individualized medicine to emerge within the next three to five years.
The first applications of the genetic information will be to fine-tune current drugs so as to improve patient response and reduce side effects. Wired Digital Inc. All rights reserved.