Genetics is influencing more and more of our decisions, but we can't make the right choices if we don't understand it.
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Articles on Genetic testing
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More people are sending off saliva samples to find out about their genetic roots. But the raw DNA results go way beyond genealogical data – and could deliver unintended consequences.
A genetics testing company recently won approval from the FDA to market a test that can identify a breast cancer gene mutation. But what are women supposed to do with that information? There's risk involved.
Online genetic testing promises many things. Some are the stuff of fantasy, while others, even if scientifically feasible, still carry risks. Consider these five things before ordering a test.
Researchers are developing gene-based tests to better predict who will respond to different types of medication, and which to avoid.
It's exciting to think we're on the brink of a genomic revolution in health care. But just because new technology becomes available, it doesn't mean it should automatically be publicly funded.
In 2030, there is a boom in precision medicine, where diseases – from cancer to dementia – are defined and targeted more specifically with a focus on their molecular makeup.
DNA marketplaces powered by the blockchain and new cryptocurrency tokens promise to let you profit from your own genome.
The rapid growth of genetic testing and data-gathering could revolutionize health and medicine if governments work to protect people against privacy and societal risks.
New research offers insight into a thorny issue.
If you could take a test that would reveal the diseases you and your family might be more likely to get, would you want to do it?
Canadian insurance companies argue that a new law denying them access to genetic test results will raise the cost of insurance for everyone. That's doubtful.
Life insurance applicants must disclose genetic test results if required by the insurer. While other countries have protected consumers from this, there is no such regulation in Australia.
Most people will be much better off putting the money spent on a genetic test towards a gym membership, or a pair of trainers.
Most of us will be carriers of recessive genes that cause disease. If our partner carries the same gene we could pass it on to our kids. Testing exists, but what are the pros and cons?
A test of all your genes for disease risk is not yet the precision diagnostic and treatment tool we hope it will one day be.
Genetic testing is revealing important information about disease risks, and consumers can now pay for a test to know their risk. They might be better off if their doctors considered these risks, too.
Testing some genes for Alzheimer's disease, coeliac disease and folate conversion does not lead to improved health outcomes, and may create anxiety or false hope amongst patients.
Dozens of factors are at play.
Why can we choose some things and not others?
Top contributors
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Assistant Professor, School of Law, University of Canberra
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Associate professor, University of Canberra
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Executive Director, Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
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Ethical, Legal & Social Adviser - Public Health Genomics, Monash University
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Head, Public Health Genomics Program, Monash University
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Ken Harvey is a Friend of The Conversation.
Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
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Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University
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Professor of Health Economics and Director, Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology Sydney
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Research Fellow in Psychiatry, UNSW
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Professor & Head of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide
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Research Fellow in Biomedical Ethics, University of Melbourne
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Research Assistant Professor in Neuroscience, University of Western Australia
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Professor of Law, University of Tasmania
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Senior Research Fellow, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
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Director of Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
