EU project calls on Poland to pioneer new genetic testing guidelines
The EU-funded EuroGentest Network of Excellence is on a mission to see international guidelines on genetic testing adopted throughout Europe, and is starting with Poland. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published guidelines for quality assurance in molecular genetic testing in June. The guidelines address genetic testing for variations in germ line DNA sequences - the sequence of germ cells that have genetic material that may be passed to a child, as well as products arising directly from changes in heritable genomic sequences that predict effects on the health, or influence the health management, of an individual. Poland is an ideal starting point for the introduction of the guidelines, according to Polish geneticist Professor Michal Witt. Professor Witt hosted a roadshow in Poland on the implementation of the rules and procedures proposed by the OECD on 19 September. 'Firstly we have a scarcity of legal regulations in Poland regarding genetic testing, matched by a reluctance of politicians and legislators to get involved in what is admittedly a difficult area,' says Professor Witt. 'We also have the contrast of highly professional state-funded clinical genetics centres being challenged by a growing number of commercial labs, clinics and companies offering genetic testing with no further interpretation of results or counselling. And of course there is a growing interest in and demand from the public for genetic testing,' he adds. Professor Witt hoped that the meeting would 'encourage Polish politicians to commit to being one of the first countries to fully implement the OECD guidelines as soon as possible'. Since the 1980s the use of genetic testing as a tool for diagnosing disease and predicting future disease risk has grown steadily. It is now used by some medical professionals to establish which drugs would be most effective for an individual, based on his or her genetic variation. According to the EuroGentest network, while Europe's genetic services are underpinned by high quality scientific know-how, they are saddled with 'an intolerably high level of technical errors and poor reporting, caused by a lack of structuring and complementarity at the European level'. The EuroGentest partners are seeking to structure, harmonise and improve the overall quality of genetic services. They are focusing in particular on genetic testing, including questions on its legal, health and economic impact, intellectual property rights (IPR), ethics and social issues. The adoption of the OECD guidelines by all EU Member States would go some way towards meeting these aims. The guidelines set out to: promote minimum standards for quality assurance systems and molecular genetic testing laboratory practices; facilitate mutual recognition of quality assurance frameworks; strengthen international cooperation and the cross-border flow of samples for clinical purposes; and increase public confidence in the governance of molecular genetic testing.
Countries
Poland