Ireland needs private investment in genomic medicine, argues Anne Jones, the chief executive of Genomics Medicine Ireland, in an opinion piece in the Irish Times. GMI is a subsidiary of the Boston-based WuXi NextCODE.
Jones says that Ireland is lagging behind other countries in implementing genomic medicine, though GMI is now developing a research database of 400,000 Irish individuals, including both healthy individuals and patients with disease. As GenomeWeb reports, GMI is collaborating with clinics and universities to reach that goal.
But this, Jones says in her opinion piece, is expected to cost between €500 million and €700 million ($560 million and $787 million). Partnering with private entities, she says, can be cost effective.
"Ireland needs a national genomics program and GMI looks forward to making a positive contribution to it," Jones writes at the Irish Times. "Other countries are taking a lead in genomic research and Ireland is falling further behind with each passing year."
Last month, two Trinity College professors argued instead for a public approach to genomic medicine in Ireland. That way, they said, "data obtained from Irish citizens will be used to benefit the entire Irish population."