New Programme To Test For Genetic Condition That Causes High Cholesterol Levels

Eligible Singapore residents will be able to screen for a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol levels at a subsidised rate, as part of a nationwide programme launching on June 30.

- Christie Chiu

In a statement on June 19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the new genetic testing programme for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) comes amid broader efforts to enhance preventive care in Singapore.

The initiative aims to identify individuals with FH early and reduce the risk of premature heart disease with timely interventions.

FH is a hereditary condition that impacts the body's ability to process cholesterol, affecting roughly 20,000 people in Singapore.

People with the condition are up to 20 times more likely to experience heart attacks at a younger age compared with the general population.

In a Facebook post on June 19, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the Government is looking to expand preventive care based on genetic testing to more diseases beyond FH.

"It is part of our longer-term effort to develop predictive preventive care under Healthier SG," he said.

As part of this effort, the ministry aims to open three genomic assessment centres (GACs) to ensure effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of genetic testing services within each healthcare cluster.