U.K. Launches a Largest-Ever Effort to Turn Genetic Info Into Better Medical Treatments
Every day for the past three years, 600 or so additional British citizens file into medical offices around the country. They are responding to a letter, stamped "BioBank" in blue letters, that begins: "We are writing to ask for your help in studying the prevention and treatment of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia, and many other serious diseases." The British government wants to collect peoples' blood, urine and saliva; measure their waistlines and heart rates; sequence their DNA; and ask them questions like "How hot do you drink your tea?" Responding to the invasive-sounding request is voluntary, but turnout has been good. This summer, BioBank will enroll its target 500,000th subject in the $100-million state-sponsored effort to use citizens' genetic information to tailor medicine to individuals. The hope is that by following these people for the rest of their lives, researchers will be able to find links between gene variations,...