Premium
Can We Afford to Sequence Every Newborn Baby's Genome?
Author(s) -
Beckmann Jacques S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
human mutation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 162
eISSN - 1098-1004
pISSN - 1059-7794
DOI - 10.1002/humu.22748
Subject(s) - whole genome sequencing , biology , exome sequencing , sequence (biology) , dna sequencing , computational biology , exome , genome , genomic sequencing , data science , genetics , computer science , mutation , gene
Whole‐exome sequencing and whole‐genome sequencing are gradually entering into the clinical arena. Drops in sequencing prices have led some to suggest that these analyses could be extended to the screening of whole populations or subsets thereof. Herein, we argue that this optimism is presently still unfounded. While cost estimates take into account the generation of sequence data, they fail to properly evaluate both the price of accurate and efficient interpretation and of the proper return of genomic information to the consulting individuals. Thus, short of inventing new, cost‐effective ways of achieving these goals, the latter are likely to ruin our healthcare systems. We posit that due to lack of available resources, generalization of this practice remains, for the time being, unrealistic.