The discovery of DNA marked a before and after in the history of medicine and biology. This finding not only revolutionized the way of understanding life, It also opened a range of possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
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In Latin America, and particularly in Colombia, Advances in genetic sequencing and genomic technologies have transformed medical care, allowing more precise and personalized approaches, with a direct impact on the quality of life of thousands of patients.
In this scenario, Gencell’s work stands out. At the moment, This institution processes between 3,000 and 3,500 monthly cases, which translates into about 40,000 tests per year. Their work is key in the identification and treatment of rare and genetic diseases, pathologies that usually compromise patients’ lives and represent a constant challenge for health systems.
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Genetic medicine, supported by state -of -the -art technologies, has allowed health professionals to perform more accurate evaluations and make clinical decisions more precision. This is especially relevant If there are at least 7,000 known genetic diseasesamong which are hemophilia A, cystic fibrosis and Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy. These conditions can impact vital organs such as lungs, nervous system or musculoskeletal, and their early identification is key to proper management.
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Thanks to the development of specialized instruments, Researchers can detect alterations in the approximately 20,000 genes that make up the human genome. This work has been especially relevant to rare diseases, which in Colombia are defined as those with a prevalence less than one person for every 5,000 inhabitants.
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According to Gencell data, 80% of these pathologies have a genetic origin. Therefore, the advance of molecular medicine represents a concrete hope for patients, since it allows more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatments.
“Currently Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest development in the diagnosis of genetic or molecular nature. This is mainly due to the fact that, from different laboratories, among them Gencell, we have committed ourselves to evolving and perfecting the techniques for precision medicine, which is currently allowing to give a more accurate diagnosis and with more information for the management of rare or genetic diseases”, Explained Marcela Gálvez, president of the Colombian Association of Genetics and Medical Director of Gencell.
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The country has managed to consolidate a significant advantage over other nations in the region: access to genetic tests through the General School of Social Health Security. This means that patients with suspicions of genetic diseases can access these specialized studies through medical prescription, provided that it is justified clinically. This policy not only guarantees equity in access, but also strengthens Colombian leadership in genetic diagnosis and personalized medicine.
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In this context, The medical community insists on the need to continue promoting genetics as an essential tool to close gapsstrengthen the precision medicine approach and ensure that more people can benefit from these advances, regardless of their place of origin.
