A life sciences and technology tilt that addresses structural inequalities

Inequalities in health and care are a central theme in the Lord Darzi Critical Review of the NHS (2024). The report highlights the widening health gap, where those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds face significantly higher risks of morbidity and mortality from preventable conditions. This worsening trend is directly linked to broader social determinants of health such as poverty, with many people unable to access timely care.

• Emphasis is placed on how poverty, homelessness, and social disparities are driving the increasing prevalence of diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and mental health issues.
• A&E attendances are nearly twice as high and emergency admissions 68% higher for the most deprived groups.
• Those experiencing homelessness are more likely to have asthma, breathing problems, heart disease, and epilepsy.

Released during the same week, and intrinsically linked, the recent report by the Ada Lovelace Institute Lovelace Institute, published in collaboration with the Nuffield Council on Bioethics Council on Bioethics, emphasises the risks of rolling out AI-powered genomic health prediction (AIGHP) too quickly within the NHS.

• As genomic data becomes more integral to personalised medicine, communities that are already marginalised may be left behind, either due to lack of access or representation in genomic datasets.
• This could lead to unequal distribution of the benefits of precision medicine, further deepening the health divide.
• It cautions that without stronger regulations, this technology could exacerbate inequalities by increasing the risk of privacy breaches, genetic discrimination, and inequitable access to the benefits of genomic health data, especially in vulnerable populations.

What is imperative is that both reports call for a focus on ethics and equity, particularly in how technology and data are leveraged in healthcare to ensure no community is left behind.

I have interweaved these findings because to me it is clear that the NHS’s ambition to harness life sciences and technology must be carefully balanced with a commitment to addressing the structural inequalities that drive poor health outcomes.