Genetics opinion surveys often include information to ensure that respondents have sufficient understanding to give informed responses. The information is assumed to be neutral but may skew responses. We assessed the impact of a seemingly "neutral" information leaflet on attitudes towards genetic testing among 1,024 survey respondents, half of whom received the leaflet. The leaflet group report...

The fundamental principle underlying sexual selection theory is that an allele conferring an advantage in the competition for mates will spread through a population. Remarkably, this has never been demonstrated empirically. We have developed an experimental system using yeast for testing genetic models of sexual selection. Yeast signal to potential partners by producing an attractive pheromone;...

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When a doctor orders a genetic test, patients assume that the test will yield a useful result to guide how their physicians take care of them. That assumption is frequently correct, but not always. Until recently, a genetic test only interrogated the sequence of one or two genes. Now, DNA-sequencing technologies are so fast and cheap that they have enabled clinicians to sequence panels of genes...

Atypical manifestation of Huntington's disease (HD) could inform ongoing research into HD genetic modifiers not present in the primarily European populations studied to date. This work demonstrates that expanding HD genetic testing into under-resourced healthcare settings can benefit both local communities and ongoing research into HD etiology and new therapies.

G enetic testing has become more common in cancer care in recent years. However, nearly all such tests are limited to a few genetic alterations that affect patient responses to targeted agents. Now, several groups are working to expand that approach to more patients and more genes, including many with unknown function or import. Earlier this fall, researchers launched two programs designed to o...

An increasing number of Australian parents of donor-conceived children are making contact with their child's donor relatives prior to their child reaching the age of majority. This process, often referred to as 'donor linking', can be achieved in Australia through either formal or informal mechanisms. Formal mechanisms exist in three states, each of which has legislation enabling donor linking ...

This article discusses the disability insurance industry in order to provide context regarding the potential impact of genetic testing on disability insurance. It describes disability income insurance, exploring both the protection it offers and its main contract provisions. It goes on to describe the private insurance market and the differences between group and individual insurance, and concl...

Course description This course offers theoretical and conceptual background for understanding the sociological and anthropological study of medicine. It will also include normative analysis of bioethical stances in the context of using novel medical technologies which challenge existing socio-cultural definitions. To illustrate these issues we will focus on two examples: genetic testing and adv...

Knowledge of genetic factors in the etiology of coronary heart disease has not so far been adequately utilized in attempts to combat premature CHD. The time has now come to utilize genetic information in a setting of family-oriented preventive medicine. This approach would greatly improve the efficiency of preventive efforts, utilizing predictive genetic testing and targeting counseling on thos...