Public health genomics in Spain: the status of a non-existing reality

The Public Health Genomics European Network (PHGEN) aimed, among other objectives, to identify the geographical variability and legal barriers of genomic medicine and public health genomics (PHG) at an international market, where the lack of policy coherence may limit its development in Europe. PHGEN supported the creation of National Task Forces (NTF) to overview the national settings and identify proposals in different European countries. Here we summarize the key issues which emerged during the discussions conducted within the Spanish NTF.

The Spanish NTF is composed of 25 experts and key leaders in PHG-related areas of knowledge and met 3 times between January 2007 and 2008 to identify, discuss and propose recommendations for the development and use of PHG in Spain. Discussions were recorded and shared with participants for amendments.

We observed lack of applied knowledge on PHG, training skills and capacities on genomics of the involved specialists (gynecology, pediatrics, oncology, etc.), lack of applied research on diagnostics and knowledge on the topic in the population and mass media. Some promoting factors were observed, such as plans on genetics in the different regional autonomous communities, guidance on the introduction of genomic technologies and the new regional health technology regulatory frameworks.

Although there is a current Spanish regulatory framework for the introduction of health technologies and a published biomedical law that could be useful for the development of PHG in Spain, specific and tailored initiatives should be promoted by regional and national authorities to improve the accreditation professionals and to inform the citizens on genomic technologies in order to empower them.