Navigating health technology: the challenges and the rewards

Advances in AI and genomics can fundamentally transform healthcare but guard rails are needed too.

- Ong Ye Kung

Throughout human history, technological breakthroughs have always been double-edged swords. For example, the invention of the steam engine and spinning jenny ushered in the Industrial Revolution. World trade and gross domestic product went up, but at the same time, there was oppression of workers which gave rise to Marxism, communism and the Cold War.

Closer to the present times, the internet makes infinite amounts of knowledge accessible to everybody, but with it comes cybercrime and a threat to the mental health of one whole generation.

Healthcare is on the verge of a historic technological breakthrough. The unprecedented availability of data can fundamentally transform healthcare.

In particular, the convergence of three very powerful scientific and policy forces - genomics, AI (artificial intelligence) and the focus on preventive care - will have profound impact on healthcare when they come together.

I believe innovation can take off to its fullest potential only when we know we are protected against the main risks. The most important consideration here is to safeguard the moral and ethical mores of society.

Genetics defines the core make-up of a person. Advances in science have made it possible for genetic information to be easily and inexpensively mapped out, and even for the genes to be manipulated.

Hence, defective genes can now be edited to treat diseases. But the same technology could theoretically be used to design babies before they are born, or select employees and grant university and medical school places based on genetic qualities. It is not impossible.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is therefore working on new legislation to govern the use of genetic and genomic test data. We will conduct broad consultations and hope to submit the Bill to Parliament in the next one to two years.