Emirati Genome Programme supports development of preventive genetic screening: SEHA expert

WAM
08 Nov 2025, 13:41 GMT+10

ABU DHABI, 8th November, 2025 (WAM) -- The UAE is leveraging its growing national genomic database through the "Emirati Genome Programme" to develop new preventive screening programmes and turn genetic research into practical healthcare solutions that improve community well-being, Laura Winter-Paquette, Genetic Counsellor at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), said.

Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the 11th SEHA International Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health Conference (SINMAC), Paquette said that comprehensive genetic testing supports early prevention and helps people make proactive health decisions.

She added that the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi has launched pilot initiatives, including newborn screening and a premarital genetic screening programme, allowing families to make informed choices about their health and future.

Paquette stressed the importance of screening healthy adults to identify genetic predispositions to heart disease or cancer, noting that early detection enables preventive monitoring programmes that can save lives.

She also highlighted how pharmacogenomics - the study of how genes affect individual responses to medications - can guide doctors in prescribing the most effective treatments while minimising side effects.

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