Many people may assume New Zealand’s native birds arrived via Australia. But our new research on the Auckland Island merganser shows they originated from much further away.
Genomic research stands to help develop new medical treatments – and we need donations of lots of data for this to work. But people don’t want data on their genes to be exploited for profit.
Identifying the most effective cancer treatment for a given patient from the get-go can help improve outcomes.
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Functional precision medicine works to take the guesswork out of deciding which drug to try next for patients with cancers that don’t respond to standard treatments.
Collecting genetic information for the purposes of determining life insurance protections could lead to genetic discrimination.
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Canada needs additional regulation, developed through public consultations, stakeholder collaborations and community partnerships, to help regulate genetic testing and prevent genetic discrimination.
People with intellectual disability told us they often felt cut out of their own health appointments, as healthcare practitioners spoke to their support person or family instead of to them.
There are numerous consumer tests available that look for BRCA gene mutations.
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Life insurance companies can legally use the results of genetic tests to decline coverage or increase premiums. MPs have called for legislation that bans this practice.
Participants in biobank studies are often asked for broad consent to use their data.
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Biobanks collect and store large amounts of data that researchers use to conduct a wide range of studies. Making sure participants understand what they’re getting into can help build trust in science.
Both Macron and Madonna have expressed concerns about genetic privacy. As DNA collection and sequencing becomes increasingly commonplace, what may seem paranoid may instead be prescient.
Many researchers are interested in the genetic history of the Khoe-San.
Dana Al-Hindi
The South African Khoe-San communities are no strangers to exploitative research. One research team is trying to provide genetic ancestry results to community members. But they still face many challenges.
Skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema can have rashes that are difficult to distinguish by eye.
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Many doctors currently diagnose skin conditions by eye. Advances in molecular testing could lead to more precise and accurate diagnoses for ambiguous rashes and skin lesions.
Redditors are eager to share their perspectives, knowledge and experiences of non-invasive prenatal testing.
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Non-invasive prenatal testing can assess risk for genetic anomalies in a fetus. But interpreting risk levels is highly personal, as a study on Reddit discussions shows.
It may not be long before Australia’s health sector offers predictive genomic analysis to patients. If this happens, could chatbots help lessen the load on genetic counsellors?
New DNA analysis revealed that Calvin Hoover killed Christine Jessop in 1984. Toronto Police Chief James Ramer sits next to a screen displaying photos of Calvin Hoover during a news conference on Oct. 15, 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Christine Jessop was murdered in 1984 and, 36 years later, DNA evidence finally identified her killer. But the police investigation’s use of genetic genealogical databases raised questions about privacy.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne
Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford