C O V E R S T O R Y
studies were western centric based on Caucasian populations , MedGenome steadily built South Asia specific databases and pipelines to provide accurate genomic insights for a vast range of diseases . A large bioinformatics team was set up to develop all the algorithms and tools inhouse so that it would not need to license anything from abroad .
As the company started its journey , lack of awareness around genetic disorders and available options of genetic testing , high cost of tests and absence of advanced healthcare infrastructure across the country were some of the initial challenges . Understanding genomics required professionals who would be skilled in biology , chemistry , and computer science , and India lacked sufficient local talent at that time .
It required senior scientists from the global research space to train personnel in India . Educating clinicians about the genetic tests and that the information could equip them with detailed insights on diseases was crucial for increasing adoption . Continuous Medical Education ( CME ) sessions for clinicians have been conducted by MedGenome on a regular basis . Initially , it collaborated with a few clinicians who sent samples to MedGenome and simultaneously to the US for comparing the results .
Positive feedback from clinicians , attesting to the accuracy of the tests from MedGenome , spread through
Making genetic testing affordable
In terms of corporate social responsibil working towards making genetic testing emerging populations . The company w genetic testing contributing to various r counts on some tests for the underprivi
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BioVoiceNews | March / April 2024