Healthy patients can pay for DNA testing in controversial projects

Healthy patients will be able to pay for their DNA to be badyzed as part of an NHS system.

The health service should be competitive in the growing market of genome sequencing for a few hundred pounds.

DNA tests are designed to predict the risk of cancer, dementia and other diseases by determining whether an individual is genetically predisposed.

The service is offered free of charge to critically ill patients, but the government wants to allow paying customers to have their genes charted a year from now.

DNA tests aim to predict the risk of cancer, dementia and other diseases by determining whether an individual is genetically predisposed.

After submitting a sample of DNA, the candidates will receive a health report based on their genes.

They will have to share the data with the researchers, which will give them more information to use when studying diseases.

However, one wonders whether the NHS can be trusted to keep this sensitive data safe after a number of previous scandals, including a scrapped plan to share GPs' files with private companies.

Doctors have also expressed concern not to be overwhelmed by healthy patients concerned about the content of their DNA report.

Health Secretary Matthew Hanbad told the Times: "Genomics has the potential to transform healthcare.

"Although healthy people should not benefit from this free service on the NHS, sequencing as many genomes as possible has tremendous benefits."

Doctors also fear being submerged by healthy patients worried about what their DNA report says