Addressing Ignorance

Dilip Valse Patil holds the book, while Dr Sharad Gogate claps

Rather than just bemoaning lack of awareness about preventive genetics in healthcare professionals and the public, Mumbai-based clinical geneticist Dr Sharad Gogate has compiled and edited a book on the same topic. The book, Preventive Genetics, covers different aspects of screening, diagnosis and comprehensive management of complex genetic disorders and birth defects, with special emphasis on prevention," says Dr Gogate. The book was released by honourable Dilip Valse Patil, Minister for Medical and Higher Education. Shri Yashodhar Phanse, Chairman, Public Health Committee, Brihan-Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) presided over the function.

The book is a compilation of articles by eminent experts like Dr I C Verma, Dr S Suresh, Dr Leena Gole, Dr Hema Purandare, Dr Bruno Branbati, among others. The book conveys the message that pre-symptomatic diagnosis through genetic screening and pre-natal diagnosis is the only remedy to most of the genetic disorders. "Genetic disorders if diagnosed early at the molecular level, will give enough time to start treatment to contain the disease and also give time to prevent its recurrence in other family members," says Dr Gogate.