A report from the Scottish science advisory council (SSAC) makes a number of recommendations to develop genomic medicine in Scotland and improve patient outcomes.

Recommendations focus on six core areas, including leadership, clinical implementation, workforce, digital health, research and innovations, and industry facing activity.

Genomics is the study of the complete genetic material of an individual and genomic medicine refers to the use of genome technology and information in healthcare.

Genomic medicine can provide new methods for disease diagnosis and targeted treatment and is described in the report as a ‘vital component of the broader aspirations of precision medicine’.

The report was produced following a request from the Scottish Government’s chief scientist office to review the development of genomic medicine in Scotland and support long-term planning.

It calls on the Scottish Government to convene a Scotland-wide leadership group which would increase Scotland’s influence at UK and international levels.

It is also recommended the Government support NHS Scotland to ‘expedite the evaluation and adoption of genomic testing strategies into clinical pathways where there is good evidence that these lead to improved patient outcomes’.

The report’s authors caution that failure to support best practice genomic capabilities in the NHS in Scotland would not only deprive patients of potential benefits of the latest technology, but also leave Scotland lagging behind the rest of the UK and other high-income countries.

The Scottish Government’s digital health and social care strategy is also touched upon. The Government is advised to ‘take full account of the digital infrastructure needed to enable genomics within clinical pathways and to support the use of genomic data for research and innovation’.

The report is part of a broader science and innovation audit – ‘precision medicine innovation in Scotland: Accelerating Productivity Growth for Scotland and the UK’ – which is due to be published this year by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.