Page 148 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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We are living in the age of information and technology, and nowhere can that have a greater impact than in the health sphere. In the ACT we are embracing future technologies and committing funds to support pioneering medical research. It is hard to believe but we are already living in a time when, for a couple of hundred dollars, you can send your spit away to have your genome mapped. Within a couple of weeks you can find out full ancestry information and genetic predispositions. It is mind-boggling, but it is also only in its early stages. It is exciting to look forward to a future when genome mapping moves from identifying risk factors to pinpointing troublesome gene expressions and perhaps even allowing gene mutations to be corrected. Medicine could also be fully personalised for a person’s genetic make-up. We can only begin to imagine.
It is an awe-inspiring thought, but we will not get there unless we support our medical professionals and our medical researchers now to bridge the gap to that future. The ACT government is doing just that. We have established a clinical genomics service, in collaboration with the ANU, which seeks to cure complex diseases by sequencing a patient’s genome and providing targeted treatment.
We have also recently announced our participation in the molecular screening therapeutics trial for rare, incurable cancers. Under this trial, patients in the ACT suffering from rare cancers will benefit from a trial of cutting-edge personalised treatment, thanks to a new partnership between the Canberra Region Cancer Centre and the world-class Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney.
The ACT government is proud to invest $436,000 over three years in the trial. The trial will commence early this year and close to 100 patients will be able to participate. Under the trial, eligible participants will be able to access therapeutic medicines that are targeted to their specific genetic information. We know that the use of such new, targeted drugs leads to higher response rates, fewer side effects and better outcomes than traditional methods. We want to explore these methods for our community.
This type of precision treatment is poised to revolutionise medicine, and we are making sure that Canberra is at the forefront of these developments. These will not only benefit our patients but also provide opportunities for our health professionals to work on the cutting edge of medicine, making Canberra an even more attractive place to work, live and stay.
As I mentioned earlier, the quality of our healthcare system rests on the shoulders of the men and women who staff the wards of our hospitals, treat our community in suburban health facilities and work in our labs looking for the next breakthrough. The value of their skill, compassion and tireless efforts to serve the Canberra community cannot be understated. As our city grows, we must continue to support our health professionals and ensure that our medical facilities are adequately staffed, for the benefit of both our community and the health staff who serve them. That is why the ACT government is investing in increasing and developing the ACT Health workforce, including $36 million for more nurses.
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