Credence Genomics teams up with Harcourts

Credence Genomics (Pvt) Ltd, a commercial, next generation sequencing laboratory, has embarked on a venture with Harcourts (Pvt) Ltd.

Credence Genomics, which specialises in cutting edge DNA technology, comparable with countries such as the USA and the UK, is working tirelessly to enable Sri Lankans to understand their genetic makeup.

"All you have to do is walk into a Harcourts pharmacy and spit into a two-ml bottle to find out whether you have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer, colo-rectal cancer or heart disease. We can tell you whether you have a mutation in one of the relevant genes which is responsible for these conditions," said Director,

Credence Genomics, Dr Vaz Gnanam.

"However, like any other DNA testing, it is mandatory to sign a consent form prior to the test," he said.

More people are being diagnosed with cancer and heart disease each year. The global trend is to identify your genes and ensure that early detection puts you on the right path.

"One in six women in Sri Lanka is prone to breast cancer and every year 12,000 patients are diagnosed with breast cancer. Likewise, a majority of men are affected with colo-rectal cancer with one in three men diagnosed, being under the age of fifty, while heart disease is the number one killer in Sri Lanka," Dr Gnanam said.