Genetic Testing
A race against time for Down syndrome research
Michael Cook | 20 August 2011
Is it possible to cure Down syndrome? Alberto Costa, a 48-year-old physician and neuroscientist at University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine, thinks so. He has started a clinical trial on young adults with Down syndrome to see if the drug memantine helps them become “smarter”. It is the first randomized clinical trial ever to take a drug that worked in mice with Down syndrome and apply it to humans.
New test reveals fetus’ sex as early as 7 weeks
Jared Yee | 12 August 2011
A new, highly accurate, blood test can determine a baby’s sex as early as 7 weeks into the pregnancy.
American Indian tribe considers DNA testing to determine casino profit entitlement
Jared Yee | 01 July 2011
With members of Native American tribes entitled to a share of casino revenues, many tribes are resorting to genetic testing to guarantee authentic descent.
Peddling genetic tests with the threat of death
Jared Yee | 18 June 2011
An American biotech has launched an aggressive marketing campaign for their direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests by playing on parents’ fears.
Testing for sports genes
Jared Yee | 27 May 2011
Appealing to parents who want to make their children champions, two companies have begun selling tests to match children with the sports for which they are genetically best suited. The DNA tests may even help children win college sports scholarships, the companies say, and to identify health and injury risks.
The US$700 test that tells you how long you’ll live
Jared Yee | 27 May 2011
UK commission calls for more widely available preconception genetic testing
Jared Yee | 15 April 2011
The UK government’s advisory body on human genetics has recommended that preconception genetic testing for genetic diseases should be made more available in screening programs.
Down’s Syndrome test breakthrough looming
Jared Yee | 18 March 2011
Test could be available by 2013
Genetic tests inadvertently expose cases of incest
Jared Yee | 18 February 2011
Gene tests raise social, legal issues
Protecting the public against shonky genetic tests
Michael Cook | 28 October 2010
A burgeoning field raises serious questions
Berkeley backpedals on releasing genetic information to college students
Jared Yee | 21 August 2010
California Dept of Public Health criticises, university backs down
Spinal tap may give definitive prediction of Alzheimer’s
Michael Cook | 14 August 2010
New policy dilemmas
Gene tests slammed in federal sting
Jared Yee | 31 July 2010
Undercover investigation finds “egregious examples of deceptive marketing”
Berkeley introduces students to genetic revolution
Michael Cook | 25 June 2010
Controversial program goes ahead
DNA and Argentina’s Dirty War
Michael Cook | 17 June 2010
Heirs of Argentine media fortune battle with government
Gene tests will solve parenting problems, website promises
Jared Yee | 11 June 2010
Direct-to-consumer genetic test has all the answers
The perils of ancestor testing
Michael Cook | 27 May 2010
Could pose “palpable threats to human welfare”
Walgreens withdraws over-the-counter genetic test
Michael Cook | 14 May 2010
FDA objects
Indian tribe wins legal battle to recover genetic samples
Michael Cook | 24 April 2010
Informed consent for DNA research under a cloud
BRCA gene patent struck down
Michael Cook | 02 April 2010
Case will be appealed
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