In an ambitious project to eradicate and prevent genetic abnormalities, the Dubai government will test the DNA of the entire population. The project will become part of 10 initiatives of the city authorities.
Dubai plans to test the DNA of all 3 million residents as part of a project to improve the health of the nation.
Local media reports that the Dubai Health Association (DAP) intends to create a gene database for all its residents, including non-citizens. It will then create a unique artificial intelligence that analyzes data and predicts diseases before they show up.
The city government says they want to "update" the genetic research process. Instead of studying the genetics of the affected patient, the AI will scan the database in search of people who have not yet become ill with similar genetic profiles at risk, according to the project website.
The project has meaningful goals
The city will also work with pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments for genetic diseases. The project has very ambitious goals. The authorities aim to stop and eliminate genetic abnormalities; prevent diseases by influencing lifestyle changes in people at risk; and to help implement personalized healthcare that will make Dubai a leader in genetic medicine.
It is not yet clear whether genetic studies of all residents will be carried out in Dubai, or the DNA of most of them will be fully examined with random testing of the rest. After all, checking all three million citizens is extremely difficult.
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Even the UK, which has some of the most extensive bio-research programs in the world, plans to recruit just half a million Britons to DNA research.
According to Numaid Mohammed al Qatami, general director of DAZ, the first phase of the project will take about two years and will consist of collecting DNA samples and setting up appropriate laboratories.
It is not yet clear how the personal data of the participants will be protected and it is not known what requirements will be imposed on them.
Help in the treatment of diseases in the region
There are 220 diseases associated with genetic disorders in the country, responsible for 70 percent of deaths of children under the age of six, according to the health department.
It is known that almost half of the population of the Emirates is affected by thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder. This disease is a common occurrence in Middle Eastern countries.
The UAE has already introduced mandatory medical examinations before marriage, which includes the identification of genetic diseases so that couples do not pass these abnormalities to their children. Many other countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are also introducing the same medical examinations.
Research in 2015 found that such programs are not particularly effective in preventing marriage between people at risk. However, it turned out that in countries that have introduced antenatal care and abortion for medical reasons, many births of children with genetic disorders have been prevented.
The Dubai Initiative will identify health problems specific to the region and highlight how environmental factors are linked to genetics.
Sergey Afanasiev
