My Riverina Futurist Prediction #9 is that……. by 2029, Human Genome Scanning will be affordable, widely available in the Riverina, and commonly used to identify hereditary diseases prior to or at birth. At the choice of the parents, gene-linked diseases such as breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and others could then be gene-edited to eliminate that disease in the baby.
Marie Curie said “ Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
The cost of a full human genome scan in 2005 was about $10 million; that dropped to about $1 million in 2009; and it is now in the order of $2000. Affordability by 2029?….perhaps $50 in the Riverina.
The genome scan itself will be a routine part of pregnancy along with existing tests.
And if a hereditary or rare disease is detected, in Australia it will probably be a choice to be made by the parents as to whether or what treatment occurs.
As a Futurist, I study, understand and visualise the future. I can provide Assessments of Future Risks for your business; provide Strategic Insights into the Future for your organisation, based on over 1000 global trends and changes; or tell you what jobs will not exist in the future, and what new jobs will arise.
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