Diagnostics and precision medicine – an opportunity the government cannot afford to miss
Phil Davey, General Manager
| Alnylam - UK, Ireland, Nordics and Canada
Diagnostics and precision medicine can support earlier diagnosis, better outcomes and NHS
productivity – but only if the system is equipped to keep pace with scientific progress
Alnylam UK Limited has prepared and paid for the publication of this article
A pivotal moment for the UK to accelerate precision medicine
Parliamentarians in both Houses are aware of the pressures facing the NHS. While ministers and NHS leaders work hard to address the legacy of the COVID backlog, constituents continue to experience delays in accessing services. At the same time, advances in precision medicine and diagnostics are accelerating, creating major opportunities to improve care – but only if the health system can respond effectively.
You may hear the term “precision medicine” and ask what it means. Simply, precision medicine uses diagnostics – such as imaging, laboratory tests and genetic analysis – to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a particular treatment, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
This progress enables earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment. When these tools are easily accessible, they can improve health outcomes and support NHS productivity. When access is delayed or blocked, patients and staff bear the consequences.
The key to unlocking unprecedented value
Diagnostic capacity remains a major concern for ministers and NHS leaders across the UK. MPs encounter the impact through constituency casework, while members of the House of Lords frequently raise diagnostics within debates on NHS pressures and long-term sustainability.
These challenges are very evident in rare diseases, where patients often move between different parts of the NHS without a clear route to diagnosis. Individuals can present for years with unexplained symptoms, seeing multiple specialists before an underlying condition is identified. Patients with genetic conditions may undergo repeated investigations that rule out common causes without triggering referral for specialist diagnostics.
In many cases, no single doctor is responsible for coordinating these assessments. Earlier access to diagnostics, including genetic testing or referral to specialist centres, could reduce uncertainty for patients and enable treatment to begin sooner, easing pressure on the NHS by avoiding repeated appointments, unnecessary investigations and emergency admissions.
Turning barriers into partnership opportunities
Over recent years, charities, industry bodies and academic institutions have looked at the role of diagnostics in precision medicine. Government policy has also evolved. The NHS Genomic Medicine Service and the work of Genomics England have positioned the UK as a global leader in modern diagnostics. The government’s 10-Year Health Plan reinforces this, with greater emphasis on prevention, earlier diagnosis and more personalised care.
But while diagnostics are a critical enabler of these ambitions, they are not always explicitly framed as such in policy. As responsibility for NHS England transfers into DHSC, ministers have an opportunity to consider how a stronger focus on diagnostics could help deliver their objectives.
This is a shared interest between government, the NHS and industry. Alnylam stands ready to play its part. As an innovator in gene-silencing technologies, with a 100 per cent record of NICE recommendations, Alnylam has worked constructively with the NHS to support patient access to medicines and system readiness.
As the NHS undergoes its most significant structural reform in decades, there is a clear opportunity to work collaboratively to ensure diagnostics and precision medicines evolve in line with scientific progress, improving the lives of patients across the UK.
DOP: February 2026 | NP-UKI-00199
