A development to watch for in genomics, particularly in China, is the sequencing of babies, said Cifric. In the next five years, “the goal is to have every single newborn have their genome sequenced at birth, but have the interpretation of the data focused on early-onset disease, just things that happen in the first five to 10 years of life, information that might save their life,” said Cifric. “This is something that we are building a strong presence in China.”
Veritas is introducing a new product called myBabyGenome in China, currently in its pilot phase. It decodes the complete genomes of newborns for $1,500, providing a report on 950 serious early- and later-life disease risks, 200 genes connected to drug reactions, and more than 100 physical traits a child is likely to have. In a nation where anxious Chinese parents will look for any means to shape their children’s future and give them advantages in life, newborn sequencing will most likely become a must-have product.
Yang does not have children yet, but when she does, she said she will definitely have their genomes sequenced. “The earlier in life we do one, the more chance that we have in changing our habits,” she said. “And changing our fate.”
Baby Genome Sequencing for Sale in China - MIT Technology Review
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