Genomic Breakthroughs in Clinical Medicine and Public Health: WHO and PAHO Join Forces to Advance Genomics Research in Latin America
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are teaming up to promote the implementation of genomics in clinical medicine and public health. They will be hosting a regional meeting in Brasilia, Brazil from May 15-16, 2024. This is the first of its kind in the Americas.
Genomics is the study of an organism’s complete set of genes, known as the genome. It focuses on how genes function, interact with each other, and with the environment. Unlike genetics, which studies individual genes, genomics looks at the characterization of all genes in an organism. This field is expanding rapidly and offers insights into clinical care, ancestry, human genetic variation, food safety, infection control and more.
The WHO Science Council has established a program to promote equitable access to genomics research and technologies worldwide. Genomics is a vital tool that can help diagnose diseases earlier and more accurately. It can also help prevent diseases before they occur by identifying risk factors and developing personalized treatments for patients.
Dr. Sebastian Garcia Saiso, Director of EIH at PAHO stated that this upcoming regional meeting in Brasilia will play a crucial role in advancing genomics research in Latin America. Over two days, representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts will collaborate to set an agenda for promoting genomics research and precision medicine in the region.
Dr. Ludovic Reveiz, Advisor for Health Research at EIH/PAHO highlighted that this meeting aims to bring together representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts to share knowledge about genomics research and technologies available globally. The goal is to develop a plan for implementing these technologies locally to improve health outcomes for people across Latin America.
PAHO’s Science and Knowledge for Impact Unit (SK/EIH), with support from WHO, Brazilian Ministry of Health are organizing this meeting with the aim of bringing together researchers from different disciplines who work towards improving health through genomics research.
This initiative “Human Genomics for Health: Enhancing the Impact of Effective Research” will pave way for further advancements in medical technology and healthcare delivery systems across Latin America.
In conclusion, this meeting represents a significant milestone in promoting genomic knowledge in healthcare delivery systems across Latin America
