Genomic medicine – healthcare informed by greater knowledge of our DNA – is advancing rapidly. Technology now enables us to ‘read’ our DNA and use this information, alongside a patient’s other health information, for more accurate diagnoses, explore personalised treatments and improve our health outcomes.
The potential for genomics to deliver health benefits is clear, however, the process for ensuring that Indigenous Australians realise these benefits is less certain. Understanding how to deliver equity and benefit to Indigenous Australians through genomics requires a purposeful alliance between community, health, research, government, and industry that privileges Indigenous leadership and sovereignty.
To achieve this, we have established ALIGN:
Australian ALliance for Indigenous GeNomics
Sovereignty I Equity I Benefit
Australia has never established an alliance of this kind before. It represents a commitment from academia, industry, Government, and our Indigenous community to work collectively to develop a framework – designed by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people – to deliver the benefit of genomic medicine to all Australians.