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Last Posted: Apr 18, 2024
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Curious about your cancer risk, or if your child might develop learning disabilities? There’s a genetic test for that—but it may not be accurate
E Prater, Fortune Well, July 2023

A new wave of expanded genetics tests is flooding the market—social media feeds, at least—and complicating matters. Some promise to predict the gender of your baby, your child’s predisposition to learning disabilities, how specific medications might interact with your genetics, and even how prone you are to developing ear wax. Not all information provided by such tests is useful or accurate. And not all of the accurate information can be acted upon, experts caution. Often, disease can’t be prevented.

Genomic testing for rare disease diagnosis—where are we now, and where should we be heading? The reflections of a behavioural scientist
C Lewis, EJHG, August 1, 2023

Much work has been done by behavioral scientists over recent years to understand patients’ and parents’ motivations for undergoing genomic testing. Findings highlight patients’ and parents’ desire: for a diagnosis to access treatments, for access to clinical trials and/or disease-specific screening; to receive a clear prognosis and information about recurrence risk; to understand the etiology of the condition and receive a reason “why” it occurred; to gain relief from guilt, for example, that it was not caused by something the mother did during her pregnancy (a concern I frequently come across); to gain legitimacy for the patient’s behavior and/or appearance; and to enable them the opportunity to connect with others through support groups and social media.

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Disclaimer: Articles listed in the Public Health Genomics and Precision Health Knowledge Base are selected by the CDC Office of Public Health Genomics to provide current awareness of the literature and news. Inclusion in the update does not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor does it imply endorsement of the article's methods or findings. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinion, findings and conclusions expressed by the original authors of items included in the update, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS.

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