SINGAPORE - Not all medicines work the same way on every patient, and part of the answer lies in the individual’s genetic make up.

Today, personalised genetic testing – available for a fee at some hospitals – can inform doctors of the appropriate treatments to give a patient.

“Combining the science of drugs with genomics is a way to develop effective, safe medications that can be prescribed based on a person’s DNA,” said Dr Goh Liuh Ling, the laboratory director and senior principal scientific officer at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) Centre for Precision and Genomic Medicine.

Initiated as a small service for personalised medicine by a group of doctors, scientists and pharmacists with the support of TTSH in 2016, it now offers mainly diagnostic screening services for genetically caused cancers and other kinds of genetic disorders, including rare diseases.

The centre focuses on diagnosing and managing adult-onset genetic conditions and has supported over 1,200 patients with inherited cancers, cardiac, endocrine, renal, and immune disorders.

She cited the example of Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI), or primary immunodeficiencies, which are rare genetic conditions in which parts of the immune system are missing or do not work properly, saying that it takes an average of 12 years from the start of symptoms to diagnosis.

The centre remains one of the few services in Singapore with a dedicated adult-focused genetic counselling caseload embedded in clinical care.

“We also hired a genetic counsellor, who provides support and guidance to patients and families with or are at risk of a genetic disorder, primarily focusing on cancers. She explains the complex genetic findings, help analyse family history for risks, guide decisions and offer support,” Dr Goh said.

General worker Mohamad Shahrel Hamid, 45, has two rare conditions, and was referred to the TTSH Centre for Precision and Genomic Medicine after a benign tumour on his ankle spread to his groin area.