SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR GENOMICS AND HEALTH, 29 SEPTEMBER 2026

Mr Peter Ho, Chairperson of the Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE) Board Oversight Committee,

Professor Patrick Tan, Executive Director of PRECISE,

Members of the PRECISE Board Oversight Committee,

Members of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) Inc Board of Directors and Executive Team,

Distinguished guests,

INTRODUCTION

1.               Good morning. It is a pleasure to join you today as leaders from across the global genomics and healthcare community gather in Singapore to exchange ideas, share experiences, and strengthen collaboration.

PRECISION MEDICINE FOR BETTER HEALTH

2.               Precision medicine is often described as the future of healthcare. In Singapore, this future is progressively being implemented to enhance healthcare, particularly to strengthen preventive health.

3.               Singapore is pursuing a long-term transformation of our healthcare system through Healthier SG. At its core is a simple idea: helping people stay healthy for longer, rather than intervening only after diseases develop. It shifts our focus from treating episodes of illness to supporting better health through proactive preventive care and earlier intervention.

4.               As part of our efforts to enhance preventive health, we need a deeper understanding of why individuals develop certain diseases differently, respond differently to treatment, and experience different health outcomes. Precision medicine helps us better understand this variation by bringing together information such as genomic, clinical and lifestyle data.

5.               By combining genomic, clinical and other health information such as lifestyle and family history, we can better understand disease risks, identify individuals who may benefit from earlier interventions, and support more personalised treatment decisions. Genetic testing can, for example, help identify people with a higher inherited risk of certain diseases, allowing earlier action through targeted screening, lifestyle changes, or preventive treatment.

6.               This is why Singapore has invested in precision medicine research over the past decade. PRECISE was set up with the support of Ministry of Health and National Research Foundation, Singapore to realise the potential of precision medicine in Singapore. Through the PRECISE-SG100K study, PRECISE has built one of the world’s largest multi-ethnic Asian databases, comprising genomic data from approximately 100,000 Singaporean residents. The PRECISE-SG100K data is securely linked with electronic health records for research use in an anonymised manner, to improve health outcomes. 

7.               The value of a dataset is not measured solely by the number of genomes it contains, but by the insights it can generate and, ultimately, the impact it can have on patients and populations. Linking genomic data with other health information allows us to uncover patterns and answer questions that would not be possible from genomic data alone. As our diverse datasets grow, they can also support advances in artificial intelligence, enabling new scientific discoveries and more precise, evidence-based healthcare. This allows us to generate evidence that is relevant to Singapore, while contributing knowledge and innovation that can benefit populations beyond our shores.

8.               Through PRECISE and the National Precision Medicine (NPM) Programme, we are building not only scientific capabilities, but also the data infrastructure, partnerships and governance needed to translate research into meaningful health outcomes for people.

FROM RESEARCH TO HEALTH IMPACT

9.               This has been a collaborative and fruitful effort involving our healthcare institutions, research organisations, government agencies and industry partners.

10.           Above all, it has been made possible by the willingness of Singaporeans to participate in research. During the PRECISE-SG100K study, the research teams saw strong participation. Many study participants shared information about the study with their families, friends and community networks, helping to raise awareness and encourage others to take part. This spirit of partnership reflects the trust that Singaporeans have placed in our research ecosystem, and we remain committed to honouring that trust through the responsible use of data.

11.           Today, we are beginning to see the value of that trust and investment made. The PRECISE-SG100K study has created a national research infrastructure that is driving discovery, enabling clinical implementation, and laying the foundations for precision medicine in routine clinical services. It also provides researchers with a valuable resource to better understand diseases that matter to our population and develop more targeted solutions.

12.           Researchers from across Singapore's healthcare and research ecosystem are using PRECISE-SG100K data to investigate cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, cancer, metabolic disorders and other conditions relevant to Asian populations. These discoveries provide the evidence needed to translate research into better healthcare.

13.           Through a series of clinical implementation pilots, clinician scientists and health economists have reviewed how genomics can be integrated into routine care for conditions such as Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and hereditary cancers.

14.           These pilots helped us understand not only the potential of precision medicine, but also how precision medicine can be introduced responsibly and sustainably within our healthcare system.

15.           The NPM Programme has been instrumental in shaping our approach to genomic healthcare. The data provided initial estimates of the genetic disease burden in Singaporeans and informed the design and piloting of genomic care models. This work laid the foundation and supported MOH's decision to launch a national genetic testing programme for Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) last year.

16.           We will be extending subsidised genetic testing to Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) from December 2026, to ensure affordability and enable earlier identification and management of individuals at increased genetic risk of such cancers. As Singapore expands application of genetic testing and extends financing support for selected downstream preventive interventions for eligible individuals, we are seeing how strong partnerships between research, clinical implementation and public policy can translate into earlier interventions, better prevention, and improved patient outcomes.

17.           And this is only the beginning. As our evidence and capabilities continue to grow, we expect to explore other use cases where genomics can meaningfully improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment in the years ahead.

ADVANCING PRECISION MEDICINE TOGETHER

18.           Singapore also hopes to contribute to the global precision medicine community by sharing what we have learnt from building our research capabilities and translating genomics into healthcare. At the same time, we recognise that we have much to learn from the experiences of others.

19.           Different countries have different populations, healthcare systems, capabilities, and legal and societal contexts. There is therefore much value in platforms such as GA4GH, which bring the global genomics community together to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and build upon each other's progress.

20.           Such exchanges allow us to learn what has worked elsewhere, understand different approaches, and consider how these lessons may be adapted to our respective contexts. Successful collaboration does not require every country to take the same path. Rather, we can work towards common goals while recognising these differences.

BUILDING TRUST FOR RESPONSIBLE COLLABORATION

21.           For Singapore, public trust remains fundamental.

22.           Even as we pursue these opportunities, the responsible use of genomic and health data will not be compromised. Research participants entrust us with highly personal information, and we have a responsibility to protect their interests and use their data responsibly for research and public benefit.

23.           Our approach is therefore guided by a simple principle: data should advance science and improve health outcomes, while safeguarding participant interests and maintaining public trust.

24.           International collaboration can support these efforts by giving countries opportunities to share experiences, learn from different approaches, and develop solutions appropriate to their own contexts.

25.           The conversations taking place this week are an opportunity for all of us to learn from one another and strengthen the collective progress we are making in genomics and precision medicine.

26.           As we begin this Plenary, I encourage all of us to approach these discussions with ambition to advance science and improve lives, and humility to recognise that different countries and communities may take different paths towards these shared goals.

27.           By learning from one another and working together while respecting our different contexts, we can bring the benefits of precision medicine to more people around the world.

CLOSING

28.           I would like to thank the plenary’s working committees, GA4GH, PRECISE, our healthcare and research partners, and everyone who has contributed to making this meeting possible.

29.           I wish all of you a productive and meaningful Plenary.

30.           Thank you.