From J. H. Edwards
Your timely full-page article on the British Biobank summarises the position well (10 May, p 25). But it omitted to mention the commanding advantage that Biobank has over many other studies: blood plasma will be analysed and banked. Unlike DNA, this usually changes when people experience common disorders, acting as a signpost to suspicious segments of the genome. Without such a helping hand, influential genes would be prohibitively expensive to locate.
However, the major health problems of children, young adults, pregnancy and birth are excluded from Biobank – only the over-45s feature. Childhood asthma and diabetes are almost doubling each generation. Birth provides an ideal opportunity for projects like Biobank. Blood taken during pregnancy is usually referred to a blood bank and at birth the cord and placenta provide blood and unlimited DNA from the child.
There is an urgent need to initiate such complementary and relatively cheap studies, or to supplement those already established for adult disorders. Meanwhile, now that the decision has been made, Biobank and its recently appointed director deserve every support.
Oxford, UK
