What would you do if you knew more about your genes?
Is information from genetic testing as useful for improving our health as other already well-understood lifestyle factors like exercise and diet? Jane Feinmann weighs the pros and cons in The Independent:
British doctors are more sceptical of the benefits of making us overly conscious of our susceptibility to disease. A recent British Medical Journal cartoon showed a picture of two ageing ladies smoking and boozing. One says: “Cancer? Frankly darling, I just don’t have the gene for it” - to which the other replies: “Well actually, darling, I do, but I simply don’t care.”
If the cartoon demonstrates anything, it’s that humans will do whatever they want in the face of damning evidence. Lately, I’ve taken to saying (or thinking), “Do what you want.” That’s what people end up doing anyway regardless.
Independent, August 15, 2006
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5 opinions for What would you do if you knew more about your genes?
Dentistry Library
Aug 15, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Staying Current: Omics Blogs & More (Omics Series, 23)…
Assuming we already know that scientists prefer to get information from their peers, wouldn’t it be great to be able to get it without even asking? Enter the blog. Science blogs have become force to be reckoned with in the……
Snowy
Aug 16, 2006 at 12:12 am
I have just been reading “The Rise and Fall of Modern Medecine” by James Fanu. Written 6 years ago it’s fairly damning of the idea that studying genes will really make a lot of difference to health outcome. Le Fanu points out that most illnesses today are age related, and that as time passes the chance of an error creeping in rise dramatically…
Do genes carry the answer to diseases we still don’t know the cause of, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s, schizophrenia? Will knowing the gene responsible actually affect treatment or outcome? For children unlucky enough to be born with cystic fibrosis it hasn’t helped to know the gene responsible…
There have been quite a lot of cancer deaths in my family, I don’t want genetic testing, I don’t think I would change my lifestyle dramatically as I don’t think there’s much (apart from not smoking) that would really change the outcome.
I had a disagreement with a diabetic patient who felt ill in the night and asked for a sugar lump. I tested her blood-sugar and it was above normal, so I explained this and said that sugar would not be helpful. She was furious, accused me of treating her like an idiot, said that at home she always treated “le mal avec le mal” and that it worked. I felt that I couldn’t agree medically, and in the end she discharged herself the next day. So, like your cartoon ladies, it seems that for some people, knowledge isn’t sufficent to bring about change!
Sorry, Hsien, for the overlong reply!
Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD
Aug 17, 2006 at 7:14 pm
Snowy: Not overlong at all! It’s a tricky situation. Some people do well with more information and others with less. But I still believe the information must be freely available for all who are interested. I strongly believe genetic information is valuable. We just don’t quite know the best way to use it yet.
Genetics and Health » Meeting with DNA Direct
Aug 21, 2006 at 1:05 pm
[…] There may be plenty of doubt about the usefulness of genetic tests, but keep in mind that the use of DNA testing varies from genealogy to paternity to personalized nutrition (nutrigenomics) to medical conditions. If consumers are informed, they should be able to make their own choice about which tests they need or would be curious to learn more about. They would have to do the same even when face-to-face with a genetic counselor (Elissa Levin is a board-certified genetic counselor and Clinical Director of DNA Direct). I don’t think anyone is daft enough to think that information from a DNA test alone is enough to cure a disease or improve their health. It is through everyone’s joint efforts that we’ll make any headway. […]
Genetics and Health » Ancestral DNA Testing
Aug 28, 2006 at 3:01 pm
[…] It doesn’t really matter that her test results were contradictory. What matters more is her nonchalant attitude towards the whole process. It’s just as I said before, most people do or think what they want regardless of the evidence or lack thereof. […]
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