UK Plans Huge Genetic Census

A US$120 million project, called UK Biobank and involving around 500,000 citizens, is being planned by the UK government and medical agencies. The goal of the 10-20 year project is to accumulate information from blood samples and questionnaires that will show how environmental factors, personal habits, and genes can alter genetic susceptibility to disease, thereby enabling doctors to quantify an individual's risk of developing various diseases. The Biobank is scheduled to be ready for use in 2014. The project is being financed by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council.

The project will be similar to that being conducted in Iceland. However, Iceland has a very homogeneous population. The UK has a much more diverse population, so its findings will be of value to people all over the world. The project is not without detractors. Some critics worry about invasion of privacy. Others worry about pharmaceutical companies being given access to the records. A number of scientists also believe such a large project is not needed. They say similar information can be obtained from a much smaller study.

In other parts of Europe, similar programs are under way. Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia have begun genetic databases. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) database, begun in 1992, is now in 10 countries.

In the United States, the Mayo Clinic has a similar project just beginning, which is gathering DNA from around 200,000 people. There are a number of other US studies that will offer similar kinds of information. These include the Framingham Heart Study, which has DNA samples of 4,000 people; the Nurses Health Study, with more than 120,000 people enrolled; and the American Cancer Society, with 110,000 DNA samples. Several new studies are scheduled, including a study of 100,000 US children.