Putting science into practice
Dr Eric Meslin
President and CEO of the Council of Canadian Academies, Dr Eric Meslin chairs this session of innovators pioneering the development of new genomic approaches. The speakers - from Genomics plc, NICE and Genomics England - present their experiences of implementation and innovation in healthcare.
Professor Gil McVean, Founder and President of Genomics plc, shares his vision for better healthcare through a population-wide application of polygenic risk scores. Acknowledging the challenges still to be adequately addressed, Gil argues for the enabling role of genomic medicine in reducing health inequities, supporting clinicians and improving information to patients without increasing harms.
The work of NICE includes assessing the latest health technologies for use in the NHS. Here Dr Sarah Byron, Programme Director for Devices, Diagnostics and Digital, talks about the changing strategy of NICE and its focus on delivering what works and what matters for the NHS and for people. Examples of new technologies that NICE have recently evaluated include digital CBT games for children with anxiety and a non-invasive rapid test to prevent deafness in babies.
Dr Richard Scott shares the Genomics England - and his personal - excitement at being part of the genomics ecosystem in this extraordinary era of genomic science. He reflects on the role of the PHG Foundation and other organisations in enabling Genomics England to progress their vision for a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare.