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NPR
Shots - Health News

A food lover faces an unimaginable choice: Give up her stomach or risk a fatal cancer

Nov 07, 2021
Cooking and sharing elaborate meals was her joy. Then she learned a mutation in her genes puts her at extremely high risk of gastric cancer. Could she lose her stomach to save her life?
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Community-Based Genetic Testing Reveals Hereditary Risks

Aug 07, 2020

The Healthy Nevada Project started in 2016 to study the genetic material of thousands of volunteers in Northern Nevada.

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NPR
Shots - Health News
Michelle Kuppersmith's doctor recommended a bone marrow biopsy after suspecting she had a rare blood disorder. Though the biopsy was done by an in-network provider at an in-network hospital, Kuppersmith learned she was on the hook for $2,400 for out-of-n

A Genetic Test For A Microscopic Problem Came With A Jumbo Price Tag

Mar 31, 2020
Molecular diagnostics are at the frontier of medical science. But along with precise information about health, the tests raise billing questions that can create a minefield for patients.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Myriad Genetics is among a handful of companies that make a genetic test to help doctors choose psychiatric medicines for patients. Evidence that the tests are effective has been called "inconclusive."

DNA Tests For Psychiatric Drugs Are Controversial But Some Insurers Are Covering Them

Oct 17, 2019
Finding the right medication to treat mental health problems can be a frustrating trial-and-error process. New genetic tests aim to match meds to patients more effectively, but do they really work?
NPR
Shots - Health News
Jeri Seidman and her daughter Hannah lounge at their home in Charlottesville, Va. Hannah is a patient in a genetic risk study about Type 1 diabetes.

Researchers Try A Genetic Diabetes Test To Prevent Emergency Hospitalizations

Oct 14, 2019
Will a genetic test for Type 1 diabetes risk be valuable to parents, despite its shortcomings? Now many parents don't know their kids have this condition until they end up in the hospital.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
In the alleged scheme, Medicare beneficiaries were offered, at no cost to them, genetic testing to estimate their cancer risk.

U.S. Justice Department Charges 35 People In Fraudulent Genetic Testing Scheme

Sep 27, 2019
Doctors, lab technicians and telemarketers from around the U.S. were among those arrested in the investigation of a scheme that the DOJ alleges defrauded seniors and Medicare.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Researchers are hoping to learn how to effectively convey information about people's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, a dementia still without a cure.

A Genetic Test That Reveals Alzheimer's Risk Can Be Cathartic Or Distressing

Jul 12, 2019
Genetic tests can now tell us a lot about our risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. But that doesn't mean people are prepared to receive the information.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
A decade ago, it seemed inevitable that every newborn would get a complete gene scan. But there are technical challenges and practical concerns.

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns

Jul 08, 2019
Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Even if a genetic test could reliably predict obesity risk, would people make effective use of the information?

How Helpful Would A Genetic Test For Obesity Risk Be?

May 06, 2019
Behavior and environment are big factors in a surge in obesity. Scientists are busy trying to identify the many genes that play a role in weight gain to develop a predictive obesity test.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Shara and Robert Watkins hold their 5-month-old daughter, Kaiya, in their home in San Mateo, Calif., just after she had woken up from an afternoon nap.

Prenatal Testing Can Ease Minds Or Heighten Anxieties

Apr 08, 2019
A variety of genetic tests are available to screen both fetus and parents. One option that's growing in popularity is called an expanded carrier screening. The results can be useful and overwhelming.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
The results of genetic testing — whether done for health reasons or ancestry searches — can be used by insurance underwriters in evaluating an application for life insurance, or a disability or long-term-care policy.

Genetic Tests Can Hurt Your Chances Of Getting Some Types Of Insurance

Aug 07, 2018
Federal law keeps insurers from using genetic test results when pricing and issuing health insurance. But the tests might keep you from being able to get life insurance or a long-term-care policy.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Elaine Belardo says she finds solace in reading the Bible and writing in her journal each morning in a small room in their basement.

How Soon Is Soon Enough To Learn You Have Alzheimer's?

Jul 22, 2018
Only about half the people with Alzheimer's symptoms get a diagnosis, partly out of fear of an incurable decline, doctors suspect. But Jose Bolardo says facing the future allows him to plan for it.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Steyn's results showed she didn't have three variants that increase the risk for breast cancer. Critics say that these kits don't address thousands of other variants associated with the disease.

Results Of At-Home Genetic Tests For Health Can Be Hard To Interpret

Jun 18, 2018
As home genetic testing continues to boom, more people are getting their DNA tested for health reasons. The tests may signal future disease, but there are many limitations that might falsely reassure.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
CRISPR and other gene technology is exciting, but shouldn't be seen as a panacea for treating illness linked to genetic mutations, says science columnist and author Carl Zimmer. It's still early days for the clinical applications of research.

A Science Writer Explores The 'Perversions And Potential' Of Genetic Tests

Jun 11, 2018
Carl Zimmer wondered what secrets lurked in his genetic code — so he decided to have his genome sequenced. He writes about the implications of the study of genetics in She Has Her Mother's Laugh.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
A sample of saliva can unlock details about a person's genetic makeup.

POLL: Genealogical Curiosity Is A Top Reason For DNA Tests; Privacy A Concern

Jun 01, 2018
We asked Americans about genetic testing in the latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll. People were generally OK with sharing the information with relatives and doctors, but not employers.
NPR
Shots - Health News
DNA isolated from a small sample of saliva or blood can yield information, fairly inexpensively, about a person's relative risk of developing dozens of diseases or medical conditions.

Routine DNA Screening Moves Into Primary Care

May 22, 2018
The Pennsylvania-based health care chain Geisinger Health System plans to soon offer DNA sequencing as part of routine care for all patients. Is there a downside?
NPR
Shots - Health News
Gisele Grayson's Helix/National Geographic results

My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren't My Genes Italian?

Jan 22, 2018
Popular DNA ancestry tests don't always find what people expect. That's due to how DNA rearranges itself when egg meets sperm, and also the quirks of genetic databases.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Janis Sherwood, <strong></strong>who lives in Vista, Calif., lost a son to ALD in 2003. She's now lobbying to have more states include the ALD test in their routine genetic screening panel for newborns. As California collects data on how the boys do in t

Parents Lobby States To Expand Newborn Screening Test For Rare Brain Disorder

Oct 04, 2017
There's a genetic test for ALD, the inherited disorder portrayed in the movie Lorenzo's Oil, and the federal government recommends it for all newborns. But only a handful of states offer it routinely.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Patients who underwent genetic screenings now fear that documentation of the results in their medical records could lead to problems if a new health law is enacted.

Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions Fear Bias Under GOP Health Proposals

Jun 29, 2017
Encouraged by their doctors, many people in recent years have taken tests to find out if they're at risk of disease. Now they worry the Republican health bills could make them vulnerable.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Whole genome sequencing could become part of routine medical care. Researchers sought to find out how primary care doctors and patients would handle the results.

Routine DNA Sequencing May Be Helpful And Not As Scary As Feared

Jun 26, 2017
A study of whole genome sequencing found that while many people discovered genetic variations linked to rare diseases, they didn't overreact to the news.
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NPR
Shots - Health News
23andMe is now allowed to market tests that assess genetic risks for 10 health conditions, including Parkinson's and late-onset Alzheimer's diseases.

FDA Approves Marketing Of Consumer Genetic Tests For Some Conditions

Apr 07, 2017
The company 23andMe is now allowed to market tests that assess genetic risks for 10 health conditions, including Parkinson's and late-onset Alzheimer's diseases.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Tests for mutations in BRCA genes that increase the risk of ovarian and breast cancer can help guide treatment and prevention.

Women With Breast Cancer Miss Out On Recommended Genetic Testing

Feb 07, 2017
Most women with breast cancer say they want testing to know if they carry BRCA gene mutations that increase cancer risk, but only around half of women at high risk actually get tested.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Results from different genetic tests on samples from the same cancer patient can disagree about the best course of treatment.

When Genetic Tests Disagree About Best Option For Cancer Treatment

Dec 16, 2016
Two recent studies comparing genetic cancer tests suggest that doctors need to be careful about assuming the results provide a complete picture for selecting among treatments options.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Lauren and Ian Patrick decided not to have their son Finn's genome sequenced.

Would You Want To Know The Secrets Hidden In Your Baby's Genes?

Oct 31, 2016
A study offering the parents of newborns a scan of thousands of the baby's genes raises a big question: Do you want this kind of information on disease risk in your child's permanent record?
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NPR
Shots - Health News
Family medical histories are used to figure out whether it is worthwhile for a woman to be tested for BRCA genetic mutations, which increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Want A BRCA Test? Some Insurers Require Genetic Counseling First

Sep 14, 2016
Doctors worry that requiring patients to see a separate genetic counselor will keep them from getting tested for mutations that significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

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