Brazil launches cutting-edge genetic test to detect rare diseases
A new innovative genetic test is now available in the Unified Health System (SUS), according to an announcement by the Ministry of Health, TV BRICS reports.
According to Metrópoles, the medical evaluation, known as Whole Exome Sequencing, incorporates high technology and aims to diagnose rare genetic diseases. Patients are expected to receive their results within six months, which represents a major advance over the previous waiting period, which was around seven years.
Globally, around 7,000 rare diseases have been identified, with an estimated 70 per cent linked to genetic causes. Official data indicate that roughly 13 million people in Brazil are living with one of these conditions.
The Federal Government is investing more than US$5 million to ensure that the test is available free of charge within the public healthcare system. The initiative is designed to enable up to 20,000 diagnoses annually, with the aim of supporting up to 90 per cent of individuals with suspected genetic disorders.
The project is already available in 11 national SUS units, and the ministry plans to expand the offer to all states by April this year.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the national research hub for infectious diseases had been opened in Almaty.
