Precision health: exploring opportunities and challenges to predict, prevent, diagnose, and treat health needs more precisely in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary

The Public Service Act 2020 requires all government departments to produce a LTIB at least once every three years. LTIBs contribute to future decision-making by improving public sector thinking around opportunities and challenges and put such opportunities into the public domain for discussion and debate. LTIBs are independent of Ministers and are not government policy.

Manatū Hauora has published its inaugural Long-term Insights Briefing - Precision health: Exploring opportunities and challenges to predict, prevent, diagnose, and treat health needs more precisely in Aotearoa New Zealand.

‘Precision health’ is an umbrella term for the use of technology and information to develop more precise ways of keeping people healthy. The briefing explores precision health opportunities and challenges through two examples: genomics and artificial intelligence. It also considers areas where changes might be needed to realise the opportunities offered by precision health and to mitigate risks over the next 10 years and beyond.

This document elevates conversations about precision health in Aotearoa New Zealand, with the insights gathered throughout the LTIB’s development providing guidance on what is most important to consider and discuss further. It is also part of a much larger conversation to understand the actions we need to take to ensure all New Zealanders live healthy lives.