Genetic Variants and Common Diseases — Better Late Than Never

Our understanding of the molecular basis for monogenic disorders has made remarkable progress during the past 30 years, leading to new insights into disease mechanisms, a huge increase in the range of prenatal and presymptomatic diagnostic tests, and although still uncommon, some mechanism-based therapies for genetic diseases. However, for most diseases, the nature of an inherited predisposition is more complex. If the genetic variants underlying complex disease could be identified, they too might bring clinical benefits. Such progress might occur, for example, through the identification of new disease pathways that could be exploited by new pharmacotherapy or by more effective . . .