A report by the Ministry of Health and Population revealed details of the results of the Egypt Genome Project 1K (EGP1K), which is the first large Egyptian project to sequence the complete genomes of 1,024 unrelated Egyptian citizens, from 21 Egyptian governorates.
The Ministry of Health and Population report explained that the project produced the largest Egyptian genetic database ever, as more than 51 million genetic changes were discovered, including 17 million completely new changes that were not present in any global database.
The report indicated that this achievement means a radical change in Egyptian medicine, by creating an authentic Egyptian genetic map that helps doctors understand the genes that make some diseases more common among Egyptians, such as familial Mediterranean fever, thalassemia, and hereditary hearing loss, instead of relying on inaccurate foreign data for Egyptians.
He continued that the project demonstrated the inaccuracy of genetic risk assessment tools imported from Europe, which give completely wrong results for Egyptians, most notably the classification of 83% of Egyptians in the “high risk” category for stroke, and 76% for chronic kidney failure, even though the real percentage should be only 10%, explaining that thanks to EGP1K, 100% Egyptian personal risk tests will be developed that will help the doctor give advice and appropriate treatment for each patient specifically.
The report said that one of the most prominent benefits is determining the rates of carrying disease genes with high accuracy, explaining that, for example, 9.1% of Egyptians carry the familial Mediterranean fever gene, which means about 6,600 infected births annually, after adjusting for the rate of marriage between relatives, stressing that this number enables the Ministry of Health and hospitals to plan early and provide free examinations and preventive treatment to families at risk.
The report stressed that the “Egypt 1K” genome project is not just scientific research, but rather a real investment in the health of Egyptians, and provides more accurate and less expensive health care and treatments tailored to Egyptians, and not an imported copy.
The report said that Egypt now has its own genetic map, and this places Egypt at the forefront of countries applying “precision medicine” that protects every citizen from health risks that could have been avoided, saying: “The Egyptian genome is no longer a secret, but rather has become a tool in the hands of doctors to protect the lives of Egyptians.”
The Human Genome Project is considered one of the most important scientific achievements in the modern era, as it aims to decipher the human genetic code and accurately understand the structure of DNA.
Its importance lies in the fact that it opens broad horizons for early diagnosis of genetic diseases, which helps prevent and reduce infection rates and also contributes to the development of targeted treatments based on the genetic makeup of each individual, which is known as personalized medicine.
In addition, the project supports research on chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, by identifying the genes responsible for them. It also helps improve the quality of medications, increase their effectiveness, and reduce their side effects.
Its benefits are not limited to the medical field only, but extend to other fields such as forensic medicine and genealogy. Therefore, the genome project is a strategic step towards a more accurate and advanced health future, based on modern science and technology.
