Precision Medicine in Southeast Asia

Every patient is different in terms of their genes, lifestyle, and diet. Each would react differently to the same therapy or carry different risks for the same disease. Making use of these individual variations allows for faster and more effective healthcare. That is the premise of precision medicine, or personalised medicine. Some countries in Southeast Asia have joined the global precision medicine movement by integrating genomics into public healthcare systems, though progress varies. And many hurdles await: a lack of Asian genomic data, weak political will, funding strained by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lack of legislation to protect genetic information against discrimination. In this show, regional experts describe the state of precision medicine in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, and their efforts to realise the goal of administering the right treatment for the right person at the right time.

This show was produced by freelance journalist Law Yao Hua, with support from the SantePerso Initiative, a Switzerland-based platform that promotes public debate of precision medicine.

Image Source: Pixabay