Pacific Islanders seek participation in precision medicine development

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Indigenous health experts in the Pacific island region are seeking active participation in medical research, particularly as they relate to precision medicine, an emerging approach to treating diseases based on individual factors.

"Precision medicine has the potential to transform healthcare by ensuring people receive the right medicine, at the right dose and at the right time," said Natalie Netzler from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

"However, Indigenous peoples, including Māori and Pacific communities, have historically been excluded from genetics and genomics research,” added Netzler, who is among the organizers of the Polynesian Precision Medicine Symposium in Samoa.

Around 110 health leaders, researchers, clinicians and community advocates from across the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia and the United States gather in Apia for the symposium, which starts today and continues until July 31.

The inaugural symposium will explore how emerging advances in genomics and precision medicine can be developed in ways that are equitable, culturally grounded and responsive to Indigenous communities.

“As precision medicine becomes embedded in healthcare, there is a real risk that existing health inequities could widen if our populations continue to be left out,” Netzler said.

Precision medicine takes into account individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each patient, allowing doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Pacific peoples must be active participants in shaping the future of healthcare research rather than simply being recipients of decisions made elsewhere," said Satupaitea Viali, Asiata professor from Oceania University of Medicine.

"Bringing together leaders from across the region allows us to share perspectives, build relationships and develop approaches that genuinely reflect Pacific priorities and values,” he added.

Viali said training more scientists in the Pacific and New Zealand will ensure that Precision Medicine benefits extend to the Pacific communities.

Symposium organizers said participants will examine both the opportunities and challenges associated with precision medicine, including Indigenous data sovereignty, ethical governance, community engagement, participant protection, data storage and the sharing of research findings with communities.

"Precision medicine is advancing rapidly across the world, but unless we actively address inequities in research participation, many Indigenous populations will miss out on these developments," said Peter Shepherd, a professor from the University of Auckland, who co-organized the event.

"This symposium provides an important opportunity for researchers, clinicians and communities to work together to create models that are effective, ethical and equitable,” he said.

Netzler noted that the symposium comes at a critical time as health systems worldwide increasingly adopt personalized approaches to diagnosis, treatment and disease prevention.

Subscribe to

our digital

monthly issue