Clinical Validity and Utility of Whole-Genome Sequencing In Rare Mendelian Disorders: Lessons for Population Screening and Policy

Ivan Mutebi

Department of Pharmacognosy Kampala International University Uganda

Email: ivan.mutebi@studwc.kiu.ac.ug

ABSTRACT

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a powerful genomic tool for diagnosing rare Mendelian disorders, offering substantial gains in clinical validity and clinical utility compared with traditional single-gene or panel-based approaches. By simultaneously interrogating the full genome, WGS improves diagnostic yield—often exceeding prior testing and enabling identification of pathogenic variants that inform prognosis, treatment selection, surveillance strategies, and reproductive counselling. Evidence shows that genomic diagnoses frequently lead to measurable changes in patient management and facilitate cascade testing for at-risk relatives. However, technical limitations such as incomplete coverage, challenges in variant interpretation, confirmatory testing requirements, and bioinformatic bottlenecks continue to affect implementation. Broader adoption also raises ethical, legal, and social considerations, including data privacy, consent, incidental findings, equitable access, and health-system readiness. From a population-health perspective, lessons from diagnostic use suggest that WGS could inform targeted screening strategies for severe, actionable Mendelian conditions, though robust economic evaluations, longitudinal outcome data, and standardized interpretation frameworks remain necessary. Overall, WGS provides a clinically valuable platform for rare disease diagnosis while offering important insights for future population screening policies and genomic governance.

Keywords: Whole-Genome Sequencing, Rare Mendelian Disorders, Clinical Validity and Utility, Population Screening Policy, and Genomic Medicine.

CITE AS: Ivan Mutebi (2026). Clinical Validity and Utility of Whole-Genome Sequencing In Rare Mendelian Disorders: Lessons for Population Screening and Policy. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES 6(1):53-62. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJBAS/2026/615362