Aug 23 (NHK) - Japan's health ministry is looking to add a new weapon in the fight against cancer. The ministry plans to request about 18 million dollars in its draft budget for next fiscal year in order to promote genomic medicine for cancer patients.
Genomic medicine uses information about an individual's genetic make-up to identify the genes underlying a disease. This information is used to choose the course of treatment that is most effective for each patient.
In June, a health ministry panel outlined a basic plan for cancer treatment that includes the promotion of genomic medicine.
The ministry plans to designate around 7 core hospitals for the initiative by the end of next March.
Specialists at these hospitals will analyze patients' genetic profiles in order to decide appropriate treatment strategies.