A groundbreaking new study has found that India’s genetic structure is significantly different from Western populations, raising important questions about whether medicines and treatments developed in Europe and the United States work equally well for Indian patients.
The findings come from the ambitious GenomeIndia project, which analysed the DNA of 9,768 individuals across diverse Indian communities. Researchers discovered that many genetic markers linked to diseases and drug responses in Europeans are either absent or behave differently in Indians, making Western medical research less reliable when directly applied to India’s population.
According to scientists involved in the study, most global medical data and drug development models are heavily based on people of European ancestry. As a result, disease prediction tools, treatment plans, and even dosage recommendations may not accurately reflect the health needs of Indians.
The research highlighted that Indians possess unique genetic variations that can influence how their bodies respond to medicines for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and rare genetic disorders. Experts say this could explain why some treatments show different effectiveness or side effects among Indian patients compared to Western populations.
The GenomeIndia initiative, led by leading Indian research institutions, aims to create a detailed genetic database representing the country’s vast diversity. Scientists believe this could pave the way for more personalised healthcare, improved disease detection, and medicines specifically designed for Indian genetic profiles.
Medical experts say the study marks a major step toward precision medicine in India, where treatments could eventually be tailored according to an individual’s genetic makeup rather than relying solely on international research data.
Researchers have also stressed the importance of including more diverse populations in global medical studies to ensure healthcare solutions are effective across ethnic and regional groups.