Implications of Genomic Medicine for Public Health Practice

Introduction:

Introducing genomic medicine in public health is an emerging trend that will influence overall public health practices and policies to achieve greater success in protecting public health in the near future. Genomic medicine gives scientists the freedom to identify people with the risk factors for developing some rare genetic childhood disorders and cancer, which can intimidate public health services to devise strategies and policies to tackle such diseases and work to put an end to such diseases through a community-based approach.

What Is Genomic Medicine?

Genomic medicine refers to the study of the complete human genome. Genomic medicine deals with the study of the action of single genes as well as the multiple interactions between the genes among each other and with the outside environment. These studies result in fetching a lot of information on emerging diseases associated with genetics and play a vital role in improving public health.

How Does the Emerging Field of Genomic Medicine Influence Public Health?

Genomic Medicine in Public Health - A New Mission for a Better Future:

• The field of genomic medicine acts as a connecting link between various disciplines of medicine.

• Various policies and strategies are being made to use genomic medicine knowledge to treat and prevent multiple public health concerns.

• One such policy called “implementing genetics to prevent disease and improve general health” was made, which mainly focussed on:

• Protecting people from rare diseases by creating awareness.

• Evaluate the influence of genetics on public health and on various social and environmental factors.

• Most importantly, to employ genomic medicine to treat as well as to prevent diseases that cause economic burdens to health care systems.

• After many discussions and studies, it was suggested to integrate genetics into public health policies rather than using genomic medicine alone for the treatment and prevention of diseases.

• There exists a strong couple of reasons to collaborate genomic medicine and public health policies and prevention programs, which include:

• The basic concept of genetic involvement in every possible disease affecting mankind.

• Interaction between genetics and environmental factors plays a role as a significant risk factor for acquiring many diseases. Hence, the knowledge of genomic medicine in public health plays a vital role.

• Creating awareness regarding some rare genetic disorders that may have severe implications on quality of life.

• Aiding in the research field for discovering interaction between the host and the pathogen, identifying risk factors for chronic disease, and developing new drugs and vaccines.

Application of Genomic Science in Understanding the Disease Process of Common Disorders:

• With the application of genomic medicine in public health, it is now possible to understand the genetics involved in various complex diseases and identify the risk factors of these diseases.

• With the involvement of genomic medicine, the connection between the genetic etiology and the disease mechanisms can be well understood, and the role of genetics in various pathomechanisms of the most common diseases is being unraveled.

• As in the case of fetal alcohol syndrome, it was earlier thought that environmental factors played an important role in the etiology of the disorder, which is now proven to have genetic involvement, according to recent studies. Hence, many such hidden genetic interplays are coming to light in the disease process of various complex diseases.

• Aid in devising community-based interventions for disease control and eradication.

Genomics - In Population-Based Approach for Disease Prevention and Control:

• Genomic medicine is believed to expand the vision of public health.

• Public health is a community-based approach that tackles community health problems through various devised strategies and policies.

• Integrating genomic medicine into the population-based approach can benefit.

• Assessing the influence of genetic factors on public health.

• Evaluate the accessibility, quality, and reliability of genetic operations.

• Aid in devising guidelines and strategies that encourage the application of genomic medicine to improve public health further.

Genomic Medicine - In Public Health Services:

Public health services mainly deal with:

• Creating awareness about availing of health services among remote areas and underserved populations.

• Bringing various community health partnerships into action.

• Developing health-oriented policies to tackle upcoming disease concerns.

• Initiating a robust public health workforce.

• Encouraging new research and innovations in the field.

• Harnessing the quality and efficiency of public health services.

Integrating genomic medicine into public health can help:

• Evaluate the prevalence rates of known genetic diseases.

• Assess the genetic and environmental interaction outcomes.

• Create awareness about emerging genetic diseases and their risk factors among the public.

• Save the susceptible and prone people against exposure.

• Encouraging platforms that inculcate the knowledge of genetics and their services to community health.

• Encourage genetic advances in public health.

• Assess the quality and effectiveness of the genetic operations in public health.

• Encourage research on gene-environment interactions, which serves as a powerful tool in improving public health by determining various risk factors involved.

Genomic Medicine - Aiding in Understanding Gene-Environment Interactions Involved in Various Disease Process:

• Genomic medicine gives insight into various gene–environment interactions that reveal the pathogenesis of disease at a molecular level.

• Facilitate the identification of risk factors and people at risk, thereby preventing a lot of uncertainties in the pathomechanism of a disease, thus aiding in the control and prevention of diseases causing economic burden.

• Sometimes, genetic mutations can lead to cancer, asthma, birth defects, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Identifying the risk factors and individuals at risk in the above-mentioned cases can help prevent these chronic diseases.

• The genetic and environmental interactions affect the disease process when an individual carries a disease-resistant or disease-sensitive gene and is modified by exposure to certain environmental and behavioral factors.

• Phenylketonuria (PKU), an inherited birth defect caused by the abnormal accumulation of phenylalanine amino acid in the body, HIV (human immune virus) infection, and thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) deficiency (TPMT is an enzyme involved in metabolizing a group of drugs called thiopurines which suppress the immune system) are caused by genetic and environmental interaction processes.

Conclusion:

Public health genomics greatly influences community health and well-being.This emerging field gives an understanding of the role played by genetics and their interactions with behavior, diet, and the environment on public health. This promising branch trains clinicians and researchers to evaluate the interconnection of genetics and the disease process to identify the people at risk and contribute to community-based earlier detection of diseases and their prevention, thereby affecting the overall well-being of public health.