Global Alliance Formed To Create Framework For Genomic Data Sharing

Privacy, technical standards to be addressed in effort to create new treatments

More than 70 major research and healthcare organizations from 41 countries have signed a letter of intent to create a framework for sharing genomic data worldwide, posted at the Broad Institute's website. Rather than having information in silos at each institution, the aim is to create massive databases to aggregate data to help provide new treatments and therapies for genetic diseases.

While whole genome sequencing can pinpoint a mutation in DNA that might be causing a disease, some institutions might see only that single case and have no frame of reference for it.