The Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, Dr. Khalid Fakhro, underscores the crucial imperative of addressing inequities in medical research, particularly in genomic databases that encompass Qatar and the broader region. Dr. Fakhro emphasizes the significance of global inclusivity in databases to facilitate groundbreaking discoveries in health conditions and treatments.

In an article published on Biopharma Trend, Dr. Fakhro stresses that while there is progress in expanding genomic databases with funding and participant involvement, attracting top scientists to engage with the research questions is equally essential. He notes that worldwide efforts are underway to enhance our understanding of health, with genetic profiling from extensive datasets revolutionizing disease diagnosis and treatment approaches, including certain forms of cancer.

The article spotlights the recent BARAKA-Qatar study on the genomic architecture of autism spectrum disorder in Qatar, a collaborative effort with MSSNG, one of the largest ASD genomic repositories globally. Despite acknowledging progress, Dr. Fakhro emphasizes the considerable distance yet to cover in ensuring genome databases truly represent global populations.

Dr. Fakhro articulates the overarching goal of ensuring global access to necessary healthcare for every patient. Expanding databases in Qatar, according to him, leads to daily discoveries that benefit both patients and the broader population, particularly those of Arab ancestry globally.

The underrepresentation of specific populations poses a substantial challenge to developing fair and effective healthcare solutions. Dr. Fakhro highlights the potential for less effective care due to the lack of diversity in genomic databases, leading to varied treatment approaches based on genetic makeup.

With a population exceeding 400 million people, the Middle East remains among the most underrepresented regions in genomic databases. Dr. Fakhro emphasizes the necessity for local pediatric databases to cater to the unique healthcare needs of children, addressing both healthcare inequality and limiting medical research in the region.

Acknowledging the complexity of broadening genetic databases, Dr. Fakhro underscores the importance of meeting international standards, protecting patient privacy, and ensuring data availability to global partners. He notes the willingness of people at Sidra Medicine to participate in research, understanding its ultimate goal of helping others.

To overcome challenges, Dr. Fakhro stresses the importance of government and academic support, along with industry partnerships. He calls for increased international pharma and tech presence in the Middle East, citing the growing global next-generation sequencing (NGS) informatics market, expected to reach $4.3 billion by 2030.

Dr. Fakhro anticipates that groundbreaking research and treatment development will benefit research bodies, industry partners, and local populations, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future in precision medicine.