France to invest 670 million Euros in genome sequencing

The government of France is set to invest 670 million euros in setting up 12 bespoke centres for genome sequencing, which will help with the ongoing battle against cancer, diabetes and other rare illnesses.

It follows the submission of a report to French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Wednesday, in which health experts outlined recommendations for developing "personalised medicine".

Recent developments in genome decoding have allowed suitable treatments to be developed for tumours that have resisted previous treatment attempts, and help patients benefit from cures for unusual diseases.

Announcing the investment plans, French Health Minister Marisol Touraine said that some of the investment money will come from companies.

When the first-ever DNA sequencing was started in 2003, it took over 10 years to complete at a cost of some three billion dollars. Nowadays, though, analyses of the most important of the genome can be completed in just a few days and cost as little as 1,000 euros.

Experts say that DNA sequencing can uncover the disposition of individuals to certain complaints and provide insights into how they react to specific medications. The ultimate goal is to allow patients to find more suitable treatments more quickly.

Google, Apple and Facebook are just some of the companies that have shown an interest in the sector, and China, the US and the UK have all already made similar investments.