A Practical Overview on Genomics

Precision and personalized medicine is increasingly breaking into the healthcare sector. The understanding of this concept is that one diagnosis or treatment for all is not enough, in this type of medicine the approach for disease treatment and prevention takes into account individual´s variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each persona.

The first human genome to be sequenced took 13 years. Now it only takes one day. Genomics is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by having a direct and personalized relation with persona´s through their genomic data, making an easier understanding on their state of health and enabling through technology a secure data privacy environment.

This tendency is also true for the insurance industry. The amount of data insurers had in their hands to work with has evolved and the range of options they could use to rate is now greater than ever before. Today, there is a chance to work on the basis of a risk table composed by people whom about insurers can know whether they could or could not develop life-threatening diseases in the future.

Today, there is a chance to work on the basis of a risk table composed by people whom about insurers can know whether they could or could not develop life-threatening diseases in the future.”

New startups have already understood that these technologies open a hand fan of opportunities and are starting to implement these methodologies in their offers. Such is the case of Made of Genes, through a high performing computational platform dedicated to improving health and wellness through personal genomics and P4 medicine: Preventative, Personalized, Predictive, and Participatory. The popularly called “Netflix of Genomics” has transformed the way genomics used to be seen, providing a personalized genome sequencing to its consumers.

Our vision at NTT DATA is that insurers should take advantage of the possibilities that genomics provide in regard to a new way to deal with genetic data and spread insurance risk fairly. Being careful, in accordance with the different regulations that might frame this scenario, genetic testing results represent a great opportunity for the industry but also for personas.