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Sun, Dec 22, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 21, 1446 | DXB
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Crack your health code
Are you afraid that age and hereditary disease will get you sooner or later?
- By
- Vijay Dandige (Contributor)
Now with a revolutionary medical testing available in Dubai, you can take the fight to your system and...
Suresh Malhotra (name changed) has always been extremely fond of oily, spicy, fatty foods. When he was young he could get away with it. Now, however, in his mid 30s, he began worrying about his cholesterol level. His health was fine, but he had a sneaking fear he was headed for trouble if he continued his penchant for fatty diet. He wanted to find out if he was susceptible to any heart related disease, before it actually happened. Was there a way? There, apparently, was. Suresh opted for it, learnt he was heading for serious trouble and, in consultation with his family doctor, began taking steps to keep his cholesterol level down.
What Malhotra opted for is the latest in medical science advancement: genomic profiling, a process involving investigation of genes that can actually reveal an individual’s potential susceptibility to specific disease, making advance risk reporting possible. Genomic profiling is the offshoot of the Human Genome Project which was completed in 2001. Until now, genomic profiling was available only in the US and in Europe. Now, it is available in Dubai, brought here for the first time by Eastern Biotech & Life Sciences, a firm currently based in the Dubai’s new Biotechnology Park, Dubiotech.
Eastern Biotech has tie-ups with US companies like Family Tree DNA, DNA Solutions UK, Genova Diagnostics Laboratory of North Carolina, as well several companies in Dubai and in the Middle East region. It specialises in offering several DNA-related services, such as genetic screening and counseling, pre-marital screening, medical diagnostics, family ancestry etc, as well as in all kinds of latest biotech products, like Rapid Diagnostic kits for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever and other diseases, where a person can do the testing himself or herself.
Eastern Biotech was formed by Junaid Faruq and his physician father who runs the Wellness Medical Centre in Jumeirah. Eastern Biotech plans to have its own R&D facility in 2009. A biotechnology graduate of Dublin City University, Ireland, director Junaid Faruq spoke to City Times about genomic profiling and its unprecedented benefits for people of all ages.
Just what is genomic profiling?
The Human Genome Project, which was completed in 2001, has been a huge influence on mankind. And its advantages are now coming out. Genome profiling was developed about 2 to 3 years back in the USA. We now know which genes are responsible for what disease. And this knowledge about genes is growing. The human body has over 50,000 genes. More are being discovered every day. Genes are inherited from your parents but you can inherit both good as well as bad genes. That is how certain diseases, called ‘hereditary diseases’ like heart problem, diabetes, arthritis etc. run in families.
The genes in our bodies can mutate any time depending on the environmental conditions. Normally our bodies destroy the mutated genes and the proteins created by the genes. But often these genes are not destroyed and exist in every single cell which could then become a serious matter.
Everybody has mutations; some may be bad, some may not be bad. The mutations change from person to person. Outside factors like smoking, stress, car fumes, too much fat food etc can cause mutations. It’s these mutations in genes that can lead to different diseases, illnesses and disorders. When the genes thus express themselves, it’s called ‘mutation expression.’ Some mutated genes are partly responsible for a number of diseases. For instance, the gene, CETP is found in obesity, and cardiovascular diseases etc.
So, genomic profiles are tests that help people to find out if they have inherited these mutations from their parents or not, or in normal cases, if these mutations have become serious in their bodies and what they can do to arrest their effects.
How do you collect the DNA and what do you do with it?
We take a blood sample or we get the person to do a mouthwash, which is also a way to collect DNA. We send it to our lab where they extract the DNA from it and do the analysis. The genes have been scientifically found by Genova Diagnostics to be related to different diseases. In the analysis, we look at specific genes relating to, say, the heart or bones and check if they are mutated, because a mutation may increase the likelihood of developing a disorder.
So, if you have a mutation in this gene, a doctor can tell you, say, the real reason you are not reacting to any drug or what is abnormal in your body. Breast cancer can also be detected by genetic profiling. But cancer is a multi-factorial disorder. This is why in breast cancer you cannot just take into consideration the genes. So, we have different tests and products for detecting breast cancer.
What is the next step after the analysis?
Once we check your genes, we give you a report which is very comprehensive and tells you: mutations in each gene, explanation of the gene, what it is used for, consequences of mutation, methods of minimising the risk of developing the condition related to the mutation in the gene, such as pharmaceutical, nutritional, lifestyle or environmental change recommendations, and if necessary, lab testing. For instance, if the report indicates double plus mutation (+/+), it means you are at high risk, a plus-minus (+/-) mutation means medium risk and minus-minus mutation means there is no mutation, and thus no risk.
All of this is done at the gene level, the very basic DNA level and since each of us has our own individual DNA, it is personalised medicine. Each person gets a personal report telling what to do or take etc. We call it the Peace of Mind test. It takes 3 to 4 weeks to get your personal genomic profile.
How many types of genomic profiles do you do?
We do different genomic profiles covering a wide range of diseases. Currently, we have Genovations tests, such as Cardiogenomic plus profile, Osteogenomic profile, Estrogenomic profile, Immunogenomic profile and Neurogenomic profile. We’ve about 8 test centres in the UAE, as well as in the Middle East where you can give your blood or mouthwash sample.
What is the next step after getting the report?
After getting the report, we urge the person to go to his or her doctor or GP to understand it in a better way, although the report itself is very exhaustive and states all the information about what to do, what drugs to take, what to eat, the lifestyle changes to bring etc. But the personal medical history of a person matters as much as these reports. Which is why, it’s better to show it to your doctor and get effective help.
How reliable are these tests?
The actual analysis is 99.7 percent accurate. Studies have been done and these recommendations have been proven to help people with gene mutations. This is purely biological, what is going on in your body. We cannot change biology but we can change outside factors such as your environment. The recommendations that we give are guidelines. They are not hard facts. What we look at is your complete biological data, not your environmental factors, such as whether or not you are over stressed. But we’ll tell you to reduce stress levels, change your lifestyle, maybe take up meditation and yoga etc, instead of doing nothing about it.
Who can or should get their profiles done?
We suggest that anybody can get their profiles done. There’s no age limit. If you’re worried about your specific health, say, like bone health, that is if you think you’re at high risk for osteoporosis, you should take the osteogenomic profile, which will give you vital information about your bone condition at the genetic level. Or, when conditions ‘run in families’, they often have a genetic component involved in the matter which will inevitably be passed on. Our tests can show what specific genomic factors might pose a potential problem for you. If you learn you have a modifiable genetic variation, your family members can also be tested to see whether they have it. The sooner it is known, the sooner you and they can begin changing course toward a healthier future. It’s never too late to learn about risks over the horizon. Just knowing why you’re experiencing a problem can reduce your stress. This is really some of the most cutting edge medical technologies available today.
How do these tests help the public?
Mutations stay with you. What you can do is to have information at the genetic level about any specific condition and reduce the risk of developing a disease. These tests tell people about their genomic material, what mutations they have and if they are susceptible to any disease or disorders. Additionally, these reports give you health recommendations in order to arrest these diseases before they occur rather than after. The normal practice is that once you have a disease the doctor starts you on treatment or medication. What we do here is tell you how likely you’re to get the disease even before you have it. It’s like anticipating the disease so you can take the appropriate action or make the necessary changes in your lifestyle right now before the disease erupts.
How are you spreading the awareness about genomic profiling?
Eastern Biotech is the first of its kind to introduce it here. It’s an American product, brought in the UAE for the first time. We want people to be aware that this latest technology is now available here. One of our missions is to bring the newest products currently available only in the USA and Europe. Right now we’re trying to educate not only the public but also the doctors, because this is as important for doctors as for the general public. Physicians need to be informed, so they know how to read these profiles and explain to their patients what recommendations to take. So, we’re also approaching the medical community and telling them about these profiles. For instance, if a doctor has tried everything and still doesn’t know what’s wrong with a patient, a serious consideration should be taken to look at the patient’s genetics.
What do you think is the true benefit of genomic profiling?
Everybody is susceptible to something, to some disease. We try to find out and assess your risks of building a disease before it even occurs. It’s a new concept as such. It isn’t like usual diagnostic medicine, like when you have a tumour, you get it removed. It’s way way before you get even signs of a tumour. We’re trying to promote predictive medicine rather than diagnostic or any other type, mainly to ensure peace of mind and, just as importantly, helping people save very expensive medical bills later on in life.
healGene test
Who can or should get their profiles done?
We suggest that anybody can get their profiles done. There's no age limit. If you're worried about your specific health, say, like bone health, that is if you think you're at high risk for osteoporosis, you should take the osteogenomic profile, which will give you vital information about your bone condition at the genetic level. Or, when conditions 'run in families', they often have a genetic component involved in the matter which will inevitably be passed on. Our tests can show what specific genomic factors might pose a potential problem for you. If you learn you have a modifiable genetic variation, your family members can also be tested to see whether they have it. The sooner it is known, the sooner you and they can begin changing course toward a healthier future. It's never too late to learn about risks over the horizon. Just knowing why you're experiencing a problem can reduce your stress. This is really some of the most cutting edge medical technologies available today.
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