Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the main healthcare provider in the country, has made significant steps in the integration of precision medicine.
HMC’s robust infrastructure and stakeholder support play a crucial role in advancing precision medicine in both clinical research and direct patient care, according to Dr. Salha Bujassoum, Assistant Chair of the Precision Medicine Committee at HMC.
She noted that the recently established Qatar Precision Health Institute (QPHI) will help in recognising and restructuring the existing precision medicine achievements in HMC.
HMC is a member of the clinical council of QPHI that focuses on the clinical implementation of precision medicine through collaborative efforts.
“At HMC, we are well-equipped to implement precision medicine,” said Dr. Bujassoum in an interview with The Peninsula.
“We have all the stakeholder ecosystems that are required to enable us to integrate precision medicine in clinical research and direct patient care,” she added.
Reflecting on HMC journey towards implementing precision medicine, Dr. Bujassoum said, “Over the last two decades, HMC has been paving the way within the organization for precision medicine.
She emphasized that HMC has established comprehensive programmes such as metabolic genetics, cancer genetics, prenatal screening, reproductive genetics, and adult cardio-genetics and adult cardio-genetics supported by well-advanced cap accredited molecular genetic lab, and diagnostic radiology departments.
HMC - Precision Medicine Clinical Initiative is led by Dr. Abdulla Al Ansari, Chief Medical Officer and Chair of precision medicine committee at HMC, and Dr. Salha Bujassoum is the Assistant Chair, along with other multidisciplinary stakeholders.
According to Dr. Bujassoum, the most promising initiative done in HMC is the establishment of Medical Care and Research Center (MCRC). She also said that a multidisciplinary implementation pharmacogenetic programme is ready to kick off soon with stakeholders aligned in HMC and great support from senior leadership.
She said that to date, HMC is the sole healthcare provider in Qatar that offers precision medicine interventions largely related to prevention, early detection, diagnosis and management of patients. HMC also promotes, supports, and conducts precision medicine clinical application pilots.
HMC Precision Medicine Program has great collaboration and partnership with institutions such as QPHI, Qatar Foundation, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and Qatar Scientific Club at the national level. At the international level HMC has collaborated with Genomics England, Precision Medicine Coalition, and various global pharmaceutical companies.
“Currently HMC is conducting clinical pilots in collaboration with QPHI. In future pharmacogenetic testing and counselling will be available for physicians to support routine prescribing.
In addition, HMC in collaboration with QPHI established a clinical referral pathway for the return of genetic information for participants of QPHI, and provided clinical care to manage and develop strategies to prevent or reduce the risk of disease occurrence linked with certain inherited genetic mutations,” said Dr. Bujassoum.
However, HMC also faces some challenges in implementing precision medicine such as coordination between health care providers, genetic counselors, recourses allocation, and access to care.
“We will overcome these challenges by establishing our new Center for Clinical Precision Medicine and Genomics (at the MCRC), and enhance communication through the development of clinical pathways and referrals between different stakeholders,” said Dr. Bujassoum.
She also said that patient-related challenges include a lack of knowledge and awareness about precision medicine and its clinical application.
“There is ongoing activity to spread the information this needs collaborative effort not only by HMC but also by academic and research facilities,” she said adding that awareness is created among the public through social media, newsletters, TV, seminars and podcasts in future.
Dr. Bujassoum highlighted that HMC’s future plans related to precision medicine include integrating electronic medical records; adopting new technology such as artificial intelligence in different cases; enhancing education and disseminating knowledge through seminars and workshops.
