Genomics and Global Health - A Report of the Genomics Working Group of the Science and Technology Task Force of the United Nations Millennium Project
Date
2004
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
A century of innovation in science and technology,
together with improvements in socio-economic
conditions, has brought better health, longer lives
and an improved quality of life for many.However, the benefits
of modern medicine have still not reached billions of
people in developing countries. Each year an estimated 11
million children die, mainly in developing countries, before
reaching their fifth birthday, mostly from malnutrition or
diseases that are considered easily preventable in the industrial
world. The growing health crises, particularly in
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, are reversing some of
the gains of past decades.Average life expectancy is forecast
to drop to less than 30 years in several countries in sub-
Saharan Africa within a decade if nothing is done to reverse
the trend. Meanwhile, in many industrial nations, the average
person can look forward to more than 80 years of life.
Good health is essential not only for quality of life, but
also for the social and economic development that is needed
to alleviate poverty, which is at the root of many health
problems. Genomics (the powerful new wave of health-related
life sciences energized by the human genome project
and the knowledge and tools it is spawning) is a relatively
new field, but it has tremendous potential to address
health problems in developing countries, if we rise to the
challenge. This report explains how genomics and related
health biotechnologies can improve global health, how the
world can unite in a global approach to make it happen, and
what steps developing countries themselves are taking to
harness these technologies.
We see a strong connection between genomics and the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
These eight goals were adopted by all UN members in
2000 in a commitment to promote sustainable development
and eliminate poverty in the world. The first seven
goals are directed at specific objectives in promoting development
and improving people’s lives, including health,
while the eighth goal, developing a global partnership for
development, focuses on how to achieve the objectives.The Millennium Project established task forces to come up with
strategies to help developing countries achieve the MDGs.
One of these is the Science and Technology Task Force, created
because many of the MDGs cannot be realized without
a strong contribution from science and technology.
Technologies such as genomics, including DNA
sequencing and bioinformatics, once considered expensive,
exotic and applicable only to wealthy nations, have been
rapidly evolving. Some applications have become simpler
and cheaper to the point that they can start replacing older
technologies that are used for health care in poorer nations.
Such simple and easy to use tests are being developed for
TB, hepatitis C and other diseases. Recombinant vaccines,
a result of genetic engineering, promise to be safer, cheaper
and easier to store than traditional vaccines.
Microorganisms with remarkable biochemical properties
show promise of being able to reduce pollution, making
water safer to drink.
The purpose of this report is to focus on the role of
genomics and related health biotechnologies as an example
of the application of science, technology and innovation to
improve global health and contribute towards meeting the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Genomics offers a powerful new set of tools to improve
health globally. The science of genomics is generating vast
amounts of new knowledge, which can be used creatively
in the development of new diagnostic technologies, treatments
and preventive programs. This means economic
opportunities for developing as well as industrialized
nations.
How can poorer nations get more access to genomics
for development? Much genomics knowledge has been
made public, so it can be considered a global public good,
although private companies make use of this information
to develop products and services.We need a governance
mechanism that fosters a balance between the global public
goods characteristics of genomics knowledge and the
private goods nature of its application.We propose the creation of a global partnership, the Global Genomics
Initiative (GGI), to promote genomics for health.We see
this as a global network of industry leaders, academics, concerned
citizens, members of NGOs and government officials,
with strong representation from the developing world.
Finally, our report tackles the challenge of how to put
genomics and related technologies to work in developing
countries within the next 5-10 years.We feel that developing
countries with the scientific capacity and institutional
arrangements that allow creation, utilization, adaptation or
diffusion of genomics are well positioned to harness this
new science for development.We see examples of strategies
that some countries have followed to institute learning
processes that can help them build their national systems of
innovation in biotechnology.
The challenge we face is for industrialized and developing
nations, and developing nations themselves, to build
partnerships that will share the fruits of genomic knowledge,
and thus help to build a better, healthier and more stable
world.The conclusions of our report follow.
Description
item.page.type
Book
item.page.format
Text
Keywords
GENOMICS, GOVERNANCE, BIOTECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, CAPACITY BUILDING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, HEALTH POLICY, DISEASE CONTROL, RECOMBINENT ANTIGENS, RECOMBINANT VACCINES, GLOBAL HEALTH