NEW YORK — Memorial Hermann Health System, a Texas-based nonprofit healthcare provider, said on Tuesday that it has launched a research program that aims to provide no-cost genetic testing to Houston residents.
Called GenoMe, the project was developed through a 2022 collaboration between Memorial Hermann and population genomics company Helix. It will provide free saliva-based DNA kits to participants, who will collect samples at home and return them to Helix for sequencing.
The results are expected to be available within 12 weeks after receipt by Helix and to help people detect health risks early on. The data will also be used for research by Memorial Hermann and its collaborators. Additional details of the program were not disclosed.
The alliance with Memorial Hermann is one of many such arrangements San Mateo, California-based Helix has forged, which include deals with Sanford Health, St. Luke's University Health Network, WellSpan Health, and the Medical University of South Carolina.