NATURE|Vol 446|29 March 2007 NEWS

HOT TOPIC: HOMEOPATHY Should alternative therapies be the subject of science degrees? Join the debate. http://tinyurl.com/ 3as3ea Database targets Parsi genes BANGALORE She plans to create a database of eminent Parsi figures will A biotechnology company that holds genetic data, manage the project, deciding in Bangalore has launched together with genealogical and on matters such as who will a project to build a genetic, medical histories, of at least own the database and who can genealogical and medical 50,000 Parsis in five years access the data. database of India’s 69,000- and eventually of the entire Vasantha Muthuswamy, strong Parsi community. Parsis community. Parsis already keep deputy chief of the Indian are thought to be particularly extensive genealogical data, Council of Medical Research genetically homogenous, so says Patell, and it should be (ICMR), says that the researchers hope to use the possible to reconstruct their government has no problem data to identify genes involved medical records from clinics with the commercialization in disease and develop new and hospitals in Mumbai, where of the community’s genetic treatments and diagnostics more than 90% of Parsis live. information as long as — in a similar way to a national The company’s genomics and the ICMR’s biobanking genetic database already set up bioinformatics facilities have guidelines are followed. in Iceland. been upgraded so they can Among other things, these Fleeing persecution by sequence selected markers in require informed consent and invading Arabs, the data confidentiality Parsis arrived in India — issues that from Persia 1,200 overshadowed years ago, around Iceland’s plans to the same time that a establish a database few hundred Vikings for the health sector.

arrived in Iceland. “After Iceland, this I. MUKHERJEE/AFP/GETTY They speak a unique has become a global Indian dialect and issue,” Muthuswamy their religion forbids told Nature. “We have marriage outside to see what kind of the community, so agreement the Parsi they have remained community signs with relatively inbred. The Parsi community has a unique gene pool. Avesthagen.” “I realized four Patell says that years ago that I was sitting the participants’ DNA. the genome analysis will on a goldmine or a powder Avesthagen will provide focus on genetic defects Reactivating mitochondria seems to trigger keg,” says Villoo Morawala the initial capital and common in Parsis, such as a cancer cells to commit suicide. Patell, a Parsi and molecular plans to raise the rest from deficiency of G6PD (glucose- biologist who founded the prosperous sections of the 6-phosphate dehydrogenase)

E. MICHELAKIS rest of your life to lose,” says George Annas, biotech company Avesthagen Parsi community and other — an enzyme that triggers an expert in bioethics at Boston University in 1998. Patell says she refers sources. Patell declines to name the sudden destruction of red School of Public Health. to a powder keg because of potential sources, although blood cells. Reduced fertility, And if patients can access DCA — or the fear that Parsis will soon Avesthagen already has several ovarian disease, Parkinson’s, other unapproved drugs — there is no become extinct because of international collaborations, Alzheimer’s and breast cancer incentive for them to enter a clinical trial. inbreeding (the population has including with the French are other likely areas of study. So in terms of public health, ethicists argue, shrunk to its present size from company bioMérieux for the But not everyone is more people will be helped if access to a high of 115,000 in 1941). But development of diagnostic convinced that the project will unapproved drugs is restricted and proper like Iceland, the project could chips, US company Sequenom work. Studies suggest that trials performed. also present a commercial for the validation of genetic there has been some mixing Peter Jacobsen, an expert in ethics, health opportunity. In 1999, Iceland’s markers for cancers, and of Parsi genes with those of and law at the University of Michigan in government licensed the European drug giants other Indians. “It is a bit of a Ann Arbor, doubts whether any good can genetic information from the AstraZeneca and Novartis. gamble,” says Indraneel Mittra, come of the patients’ efforts. They are so national database to deCODE Patell says that she has director of the Bhopal Memorial desperate to see results, he says, that there Genetics, a biomedical been discussing the project Hospital and Research Centre is no way they can report unbiased results company that hopes to develop with prominent members of in India. “My feeling is that and no mechanism to ensure the reports new cures and diagnostic kits. the Parsi community for four the Parsis are not as pure as are accurate. “I don’t trust the data,” he says. Hoping to do the same for years, making the case that the Icelanders, and in any case I “It’s hard enough to rely on them in clinical the Parsis, Patell launched the information gained will directly do not know how fruitful the trials, let alone this.” ■ 1.25-billion-rupee (US$30- benefit the health of the Icelandic study has been.” ■ Helen Pearson million) project on 21 March. dwindling population. A council K. S. Jayaraman

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