Genetic screening may become common in Estonia as a blood pressure test, after Estonia launched the first phase of the National Genetic Testing and Information Service, which aims to reduce the risk of disease among Estonia's population based on their genomes. If the project succeeds, countries that have a well-developed health care system may decide to join Estonia's initiative.
The initiative, launched on 20 March, will serve about 100,000 of 1.3 million residents and will provide them with genetic information that informs them of their potential for certain diseases. The genetic information will first be sent to the family doctor, so that the patient receives appropriate medical advice and results and adjusts his lifestyle to ensure better health. According to a press release of the Institute of Genome at Tartu University, the state plans to provide free genetic screening to all its inhabitants gradually.
Estonia is not the only country to provide this free or "low-cost" genetic screening. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK provides a genetic screening service for doctors to help diagnose diseases, but does not provide this screening to help patients prevent possible diseases. Patients must pay a specific amount of money to the agency to get the results.
We are not surprised by this move from Estonia, it is one of the first countries to adopt modern technologies. A dynamic bank program was established in 2000 to accelerate scientific research and the characterization or allocation of medical care. Estonia is the first country to hold elections on the Internet, the first to provide electronic accommodation to anyone in the world, and one of the first countries to propose the establishment of a national currency blind. They may contribute to improving public health by adding genetic applications to their national health care program.
Access to genetic information in the context of medical consultation is difficult in many countries. Genetic testing can be done in the United States by consulting a GP, but US insurance companies do not provide a clear system for covering the costs of genetic testing according to the US National Institutes of Health. This leads to the patient not knowing the costs of genetic testing before it is done.
Patients are encouraged to use cheap and easy means to conduct a medical examination at home, including relying on a sample of saliva preserved in a special cup and sent to the sponsoring company without going to a specialist center or conducting routine medical examinations. However, this service does not guarantee consultation with a genetic expert who has sufficient information about the effect of mutations on an individual's health and illness. There are also concerns from other companies, such as the genetic use of genetic information in scientific research in a manner that is not well understood by the customer, as well as doubts about the accuracy of the results of home genetic testing.
Although experts warn that free genetic counseling may cause unwarranted fear, doctors' supervision helps to explain the meaning of the results in reducing misinterpretation of genetic information and in frightening the patient compared to interpreting these results through household services.
Thanks to the law governing the regulation of human genetic research, which was adopted by Estonia in 1999, genetic information is owned by the owner of the sample. The Estonian population has the right to choose the studies they wish to participate in, and will soon have access to research that has used their genetic information through an online portal.
Genetic testing has become more popular. People certainly want to analyse their DNA to ensure better medical care, as well as to identify their historical origins. Other countries, such as Iceland and the United Arab Emirates, are planning DNA and genome analysis for a large population to seek better health care for their citizens. These plans may not be complete at first. But the intention of some countries to implement their own systems may contribute to better ideas in this area, and will benefit citizens of those countries of these advanced projects.