As an initiative to reach out to more people with rare diseases and genetic disorders, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on 8 March licensed a private pathology lab for conducting 27 genetic tests, expected to be launched in a year.

Hoping to use private pathology labs to reach out to people, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on 8 March licensed a private lab for 27 genetic tests it has developed over years. Officials said that the CSIR's Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) has entered into partnership with Dr Lal PathLabs, a private chain of labs, and licensed it with technology. These tests are expected to be launched over the period of one year. "Genetic diseases, though are individually rare, cumulatively affect a large number of individuals -- an estimated 70 million Indians.

"It is anticipated that the wide network of Dr Lal PathLabs would enable easy access to the genetic tests to large number of patients across the country and potentially enable wide utility of genetic tests by clinicians," said a statement from the CSIR. According to the CSIR, mostly an appropriate diagnosis is not arrived at due to lack of general awareness on genetic diseases, lack of access and high cost of appropriate genetic diagnostic services.

"It is estimated that an average patient with rare disease has to go through multiple healthcare visits and diagnostic tests and takes approximately seven years to arrive at a precise diagnosis," the CSIR said. Genomics, however, look at the individual case and figures out a personalise case for better treatment.

It added that so far through the CSIR-IGIB's previous efforts, over 14,000 genetic tests have been carried out, benefiting over 4,000 needy patients from across the country through a clinical network encompassing over 25 major medical centres spanning the length and breadth of the country.

"CSIR has a major focus on R&D pertaining to Affordable Health Care... The tests developed and licensed to Dr Lal PathLabs would provide a much needed support system to the doctors in diagnosing the identified genetic disorders," said Dr Girish Sahni, Director General, CSIR.