SINGAPORE, June 20 — Singapore will begin a national genetic testing programme for a potentially life-threatening cholesterol disorder on June 30, the country’s Ministry of Health (MOH) announced yesterday.

The initiative targets early detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a hereditary condition that impairs the body’s ability to manage cholesterol levels. Left untreated, FH can raise the risk of heart attacks by up to 20 times, particularly at a younger age.

An estimated 20,000 people in Singapore may be affected by FH.

The new programme will be rolled out at three Genomic Assessment Centres (GACs), each operated by one of Singapore’s healthcare clusters.

The first centre — run by SingHealth — will be housed at the National Heart Centre and will begin accepting referrals from June 30.

Two more centres, under the National Healthcare Group and National University Health System, will open in stages.

The GACs will provide both pre- and post-test genetic counselling to help patients understand the outcomes and implications of their test results.

The test involves a blood draw and genetic analysis to confirm the presence of FH.

Who qualifies for testing?

Singaporeans and permanent residents with LDL-C cholesterol levels of 5.5mmol/L (212mg/dL) or higher — considered abnormally high — may be referred for FH testing.

If confirmed to have FH, their immediate family members, including parents, siblings and children, will also be encouraged to undergo testing through a process known as cascade screening.

"This allows for timelier intervention and treatment, such as advising them to adopt healthier lifestyles and starting them on cholesterol-lowering therapies, if necessary,” said MOH.

Subsidies and costs

The total cost of FH testing — covering blood collection, lab analysis, and counselling sessions — will be subsidised by up to 70 per cent for eligible Singaporeans and permanent residents.

After subsidies, patients can expect to pay between S$117 (RM387) and S$575. Immediate family members of FH-positive individuals can expect subsidised costs of between S$53 and S$253.

Additional financial support is available through the MediSave500/700 schemes, and seniors aged 60 and above can also use Flexi-MediSave to reduce their out-of-pocket expenses.

MOH noted that most patients who test positive for FH will require long-term management through medication and lifestyle changes, such as improved diet and regular exercise, to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Patients are encouraged to continue follow-ups with their primary care provider, such as polyclinics or GP clinics. Those enrolled in Healthier SG will also have access to subsidised chronic medication for FH.

Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post yesterday that the programme reflects Singapore’s push toward predictive preventive care.

"We want to expand preventive care based on genetic testing to more diseases, beyond FH,” he wrote.

"It is part of our longer-term effort to develop predictive preventive care under Healthier SG.”