The Patented Sickle Cell Thalassemia Status ID Card is protected under the Patent No 419529 16/12/2020 granted under the provisions of the Patents Act is directed toward “System, Apparatus, and Method for Automated Genetic Inheritance Pattern Identification and Counselling”. Also Patent of Federal Republic of Nigeria No.F/PT/PCT/2023/8467 13/07/2023 CRP 008774.
The said invention solves the problem associated with the disease of Sickle Cell Anaemia and thalassemia. It is a known fact that a large population in India, especially the rural and tribal population suffers from the disease of Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassemia which are called Hemoglobinopathies. These diseases are genetic disorders with no cure and are thus a life-long disease. However, these diseases can be curbed if a preventive measure is taken such as avoiding high risk marriages.
To identify high risk marriages, the prospective couple have to consult a genetic counsellor who predicts the probabilities of their offspring carrying the said disease after considering their HB status through blood tests. The genetic counsellors are not affordable and such a prediction requires special skills hence it is difficult rather impossible for a healthcare worker with minimum education or even for the prospective couple to predict the said probability on their own. Thus, non-availability of health centers with genetic counselling dissuades the prospective couple from getting consultations from the skilled genetic counsellor for various reasons.
It is well reported that nearly 2 lakhs babies born yearly with Sickle Cell Anaemia/ Thalassemia in India and treatment cost for each child costs INR 2 lakh that means that total cost burden in treating 2 lakhs newborn babies with these diseases is approx. INR 4,000 Crores yearly. Therefore, these diseases are major public health issues prevalent in tribal populations of India.
To bring affordable and accurate solution to the above public health concern, Dr. Nisanth Nambison & Dr Smita Nambison worked on various solutions since the year 2017. After years of rigorous research and experimenting, they found a simple yet powerful solution to this complex health problem and invented a color-coded Genetic Inheritance Prediction Counselling Card (GIPCI Card) and associated logic and algorithm.
It is known that certain diseases are inherited genetically. There are specific ways in which these diseases are transmitted from one generation to the next generation. While individuals with an understanding of how these inherited diseases are transmitted from one generation to the next can predict a possible outcome for progeny easily, most of the population is completely unaware of how these diseases are transmitted and have no easy means to find out whether the putative progeny from marrying another individual would be healthy or diseased. Although people living in urban areas may seek genetic counselling, availing services of a genetic counsellor can be expensive. The problem is even more acute in rural areas where genetic counselling is not accessible. Due to lack of awareness and lack of resources, many genetically inherited diseases are still prevalent in rural population. The invention addresses this problem by providing a very easy to use apparatus that assists an individual in deciding whether marrying another individual would result in a progeny that is healthy or diseased without requiring any assistance from a trained genetic counsellor.