Genomics is the key to unlock the shift from Sickness to Prevention
of people receive medically useful insights with Genomics’ polygenic risk scores1
of NHS patients in our Healthcare Evaluation of Absolute Risk Testing (HEART) trial found Genomics’ genetic risk information helpful
The proven impact of Genomics
The NHS Plan follows Genomics’ 2021 HEART2 trial of PRS for cardiovascular disease in the NHS. NHS GPs successfully tested the combination of PRS and QRISK® in the NHS Health Check.
A Genomics published study in 2024 showed that 8% of the adult population have the same risk of heart disease due to polygenic risk as carriers of rare genetic mutations that cause familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).3
We are the exclusive provider of genetic results for the flagship programme Our Future Health. We’re also working with Novo Nordisk to combine their expertise in obesity science and our world-leading understanding of genetics to develop an integrated risk tool that can determine who’s at risk of developing obesity based on their genetic predisposition – our research shows that a person’s genetic background is crucial in identifying who’s at high risk.4
Enabling precision risk detection and prevention in primary care
One of the most immediate priorities of the NHS plan is to move care away from acute hospitals and into community settings. Genomic Prevention enables this shift by giving GPs access to more powerful, personalised information about their patients’ health risks.
For instance, NHS GPs already estimate a patient’s 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease using tools like QRISK®. However, this model overlooks a major risk factor: genetics. Our polygenic risk scores (PRS) quantify a patient’s predisposition to disease using millions of genetic variants – and for individuals aged 40–55, PRS carries as much predictive value as all the traditional clinical risk factors combined. Our successful trial of an investigational cardiovascular risk tool in the NHS in 2021 showed that adding PRS to standard clinical workflows in CVD worked well, and 98.5% of patients found this information useful.
By equipping GPs with better tools to assess risk and guide early intervention, Genomics helps reduce reliance on reactive, hospital-based care.
For example, using PRS on 40-69 year olds in the UK would identify nearly 2 million additional people at high risk for cardiovascular disease; treating these with statins would avoid approximately 45,000 primary cardiovascular events over the next decade. Genetics has a significant impact on all common, chronic diseases.
Identifying high-risk individuals before symptoms arise
The NHS 10 Year Plan signals fundamental reform: moving away from diagnosing and treating illness only after it develops, towards earlier risk detection and prevention. Genomics is central to delivering this ambition.
Through a single lifetime test, Genomics can assess a person’s inherited risk for a wide range of common diseases — including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and major cancers. These insights can be used to identify people who appear healthy today, but who carry high future risk and would benefit from targeted interventions now.
Evidence shows that people with high risk PRS respond especially well to treatment. Genomic Prevention ensures the NHS is investing in interventions where they will have the greatest impact.
This new approach to public health is targeted and personalised and it brings the NHS’s preventive ambition within reach.
Embedding genomic intelligence in NHS systems
To deliver smarter, more joined-up care, the NHS is becoming digitally enabled – making better use of data, technology, and personalised tools.
Genomics is providing multi-disease PRS technology for up to 5 million participants in the Our Future Health programme, the UK’s flagship initiative in predictive medicine.
By embedding genomic insight into digital pathways, the NHS can triage risk earlier, target screening more effectively, and guide prescribing based on personalised profiles. This is not a future ambition, it is already happening, and Genomics is delivering it.
1
Based on results from Genomics’ Health Insights test in the USA with 40-69 year olds testing for 8 common diseases: breast cancer, prostate cancer, T2 diabetes, hypertension, CVD, high LDL, AFib, osteoporosis
Delivering on the NHS plan
Wes Streeting has described genomics as a tool to transform the NHS into a health service that “leapfrogs illness”.
We agree – and we’re ready. Contact us to discuss how Genomic Prevention can support your NHS region or policy strategy.
To discuss our Health Insights UK test available via private providers contact us at support@insightsgenomics.com
