DNA Testing Will Be The Norm

DNA testing is increasingly popular – thanks to consumer demand for DNA tests for such things as paternity tests and the boom in genetic ancestry. And the cost of testing is becoming increasingly affordable. The medical world believes that this means personal DNA sequences will become a routine way of diagnosing diseases in just ten years time.

DNA Testing for Diseases

The man who has pioneered DNA and genetics, James Watson, believes that doctors will use DNA sequences to improve medical care. As a result, treatments will be more effectively targeted at a variety of illnesses including cancer and mental illness. It was more than fifty years ago when Professor Watson discovered the structure of DNA.

Advances in Technology

Advances in DNA testing and technology mean it will be easier to sequence a person’s DNA. Currently it takes nine months and a lot of technicians, but it’s estimated it could take as little as a week in five year’s time. DNA sequences could then be used to diagnose genetic diseases, information which in turn could be used to protect the future of unborn children from contracting genetic diseases.

DNA Sequencing to Prevent Cancer

Cancer is one of the biggest diseases scientists and doctors have been battling to cure. It’s estimated that genetic testing would be used in the future to help treat cancer. Finding out what is wrong in a person’s DNA means preventative treatments could be enforced. When DNA testing is more affordable, it’s thought women will be able to test whether they have the gene that makes them more susceptible to breast cancer or ovarian cancer for example. If they have the defective gene, they can take preventative steps such as having a hysterectomy after having children to prevent ovarian cancer.

The Medical Future

Professor Watson also estimates that DNA sequencing will help find genetic roots for mental illness. The advances in DNA testing could have significant impact on medical treatment in the future, which in turn could extend the number of years humans live, as well as improve the quality of those years.