Human Genomics for Health: A New Dawn for Clinical Medicine and Public Health in the Americas

In May 2024, PAHO will host a regional meeting in Brasilia, Brazil to promote the implementation of genomics in clinical medicine and public health. This initiative, titled “Human Genomics for Health: Enhancing the Impact of Effective Research,” is the first of its kind in the Americas.

Genomics is the study of an organism’s complete set of genes, known as the genome. It focuses on how genes function, interact with each other, and with the environment. Unlike genetics, which studies individual genes, genomics looks at the characterization of all genes in an organism. Genomics is an expanding field that offers insights in clinical care, ancestry, human genetic variation, food safety, infection control, and contributes to the “One Health” approach.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council has established a program to promote equitable access to genomics research and technologies worldwide. The publication “Accelerating Access to Genomics for Global Health, 2022” outlines this program’s objectives.

Dr. Sebastian Garcia Saiso, Director of the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH) at PAHO stated that this upcoming regional meeting in Brasilia will play a crucial role in advancing genomics in the Americas. Over two days, representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts will collaborate to set the agenda for promoting genomics research and precision medicine in the region.

Dr. Ludovic Reveiz Advisor for Health Research at EIH/PAHO highlighted that genomic knowledge and technologies offer new and improved approaches to diagnosing, preventing and treating various diseases. They also provide opportunities to achieve global public health goals