Dubai: The UAE is capitalizing on its expanding national genomic database through the “Emirati Genome Programme” to create new preventive screening initiatives and transform genetic research into actionable healthcare solutions aimed at enhancing community well-being, according to Laura Winter-Paquette, a Genetic Counsellor at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).
According to Emirates News Agency, Winter-Paquette, speaking at the 11th SEHA International Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health Conference (SINMAC), emphasized that comprehensive genetic testing plays a vital role in early prevention and assists individuals in making proactive health decisions.
She mentioned that the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has initiated pilot programmes, such as newborn screening and a premarital genetic screening programme, to help families make well-informed decisions regarding their health and future.
Winter-Paquette underscored the significance of screening healthy adults to identify genetic risks for condit
ions like heart disease or cancer, noting that early detection allows for monitoring programmes that can be life-saving.
Additionally, she highlighted the role of pharmacogenomics, which studies how genes affect individual responses to medications, in aiding doctors to prescribe the most effective treatments while reducing potential side effects.