Alan Milburn, the UK's Secretary of State for Health, has announced plans for the first national Genetic Knowledge Parks for Britain. The intention is for the network of parks to put Britain at the leading edge of advances in genetic technology which could transform treatments and services for NHS patients.
In the 'first wave' of development, six multidisciplinary knowledge parks will be set up in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Manchester/Liverpool, Newcastle and Cardiff. These will be centres of clinical and scientific excellence, focussing on the development of diagnosis, treatments and counselling of patients. The centres will be funded from a £10 million 'Genetics Knowledge Challenge Fund' and £5 million from the Department of Trade and Industry.
In addition, two National Genetics Reference Laboratories will be established in Salisbury and Manchester. These are intended to help the NHS keep up with genetic science and develop new and improved genetic testing. The laboratories will receive £500,000 of funding per year.
Announcing the knowledge parks, Mr Milburn said, 'The genetics revolution is already underway and is changing the world in which we live - holding out the potential for new drugs and therapies, new means of preventing ill health and new ways of preventing illness'.
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