| In October 2005, I.B.M announced that
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| | early in many diseases, cutting treatment
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| genetic information would not be used in
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| | costs. For example, an estimated 300
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| hiring or to make decisions for health
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| | million people are obese. The costs in
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| care benefits. The statement was made as
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| | early death and related ailments are
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| DNA testing appeared likely to become an
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| | enormous. A study by the Robert Wood
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| important business, with numerous
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| | Johnson Health and Society Scholars
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| start-up firms seeking to establish
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| | Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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| themselves in the consumer market.
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| | finds that test subjects modified their
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| Indeed, I.B.M. itself is heavily involved
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| | behavior positively when they were
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| in genetics information research, but
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| | categorized as having increased genetic
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| when it comes to the potential of DNA
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| | susceptibility for obesity.
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| testing, one word might describe the
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| | While nutrigenomics is still an infant
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| future: Google.
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| | science, with much to be learned about
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| The founders of the search engine giant
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| | diseases caused by multiple genes, what
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| have met with Craig Venter, whose company
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| | has been learned points toward a
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| and the competing U.S. National
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| | revolution in health maintenance. The
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| Institutes of Health discovered the
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| | results of a study published in the
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| 30,000 genes in the human genome in 2000,
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| | November 17, 2005, issue of New Scientist
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| in essence, opening a new era of science
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| | offers evidence that, as the article's
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| that will impact a broad swath of
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| | headline says, "the food you eat may
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| enterprise. In Venter's vision, "Genetic
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| | change your genes for life." In the
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| information is going to be the leading
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| | study, conducted at McGill University in
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| edge of information that is going to
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| | Montreal, researchers injected
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| change the world." The home might very
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| | L-methionine, a common amino acid, into
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| well be at the center of such change.
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| | the brains of rats. The result was a
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| What if you could go to your computer and
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| | negative change in the rats' behavior.
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| search for information that relates to
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| | Observing that a chemical called TSA can
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| your individual genetic make-up. Combined
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| | have the opposite effect, improving the
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| with the results of home-based DNA
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| | behavior of rats, Moshe Szyf, one of the
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| testing, the information would allow you
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| | McGill researchers said, "Food has a
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| to determine the questions you should ask
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| | dramatic effect, but it can go both
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| your doctor about nutritional and
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| | ways."
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| pharmacological interventions.
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| | DNA testing has raised controversy in the
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| That day might not be far off. Companies
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| | U.K., where the preimplantation genetic
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| with deep market penetration, such as
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| | diagnosis of embryos has been the focus
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| Nestle and Kraft, are watching the
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| | of a government public opinion survey. In
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| start-up companies, and their entry would
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| | a report last autumn in BMJ, Suzi
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| make DNA testing technology a widely
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| | Leather, chairwoman of the Human
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| accessible consumer item. Join readily
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| | Fertilization and Embryology Authority,
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| available tests with Google's always-on
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| | says the survey is an attempt to start to
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| presence and what do you get? As Venter
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| | build a consensus on the issue. As is
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| states in The Google Story, a book by
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| | increasingly the case in medicine, the
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| Washington Post science writer David Vise
| |
| | U.K. faces a situation in which
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| and Mark Malseed: "People will be able to
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| | technology has raced ahead of social
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| log onto a Google site using search
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| | values.
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| capabilities and have the ability to
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| | Scientific developments make it possible
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| understand things about themselves as
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| | to test embryos for so-called low
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| they change in real time. What does it
| |
| | penetrance genes, or those in which not
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| mean to have this variation in a gene?"
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| | everyone who inherits the gene will
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| Ultimate system
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| | develop the associated disease. These
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| This could be the ultimate health care
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| | conditions include inherited breast
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| system. The potential savings in health
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| | cancer, inherited ovarian cancer and
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| care costs from individual changes in
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| | hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer.
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| lifestyle and diet are touted daily. Such
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| | The question is whether it is appropriate
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| changes applied across a population would
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| | to test for these conditions - which may
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| have dramatic consequences. Currently,
| |
| | or may not develop - so that the
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| DNA testing is still in its technological
| |
| | condition can no longer be passed on.
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| infancy and much too expensive to be a
| |
| | Another facet of the U.K. survey seeks
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| practical tool for the masses, and
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| | opinion on whether it is right to test
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| ethical questions present a host of
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| | for a gene if the associated disease does
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| obstacles. However, the demand created by
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| | not occur until later in life or if the
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| an educated populace is certain to solve
| |
| | disease can be treated.
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| these problems.
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| | Accuracy
|
| First of all, the evidence of
| |
| | On the one hand it can be envisioned that
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| gene-nutrient interactions in many
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| | with the continued advances in technology
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| diseases and disorders is well-documented
| |
| | and an implementation of blanket embryo
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| and continues to mount. A 2004 study at
| |
| | screening over the course of many
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| the Karl-Franzes University Hospital in
| |
| | generations, a society free of hereditary
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| Graz, Austria, finds that a polymorphism,
| |
| | afflictions might be attained. But the
|
| or genetic variation, is associated with
| |
| | ethical dilemma of destroying millions of
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| milk intolerance, reduced milk calcium
| |
| | embryos is an incorrigible obstacle, at
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| intake and reduced bone mass density at
| |
| | least for now. And questions remain:
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| the hip and spine. DNA testing, the study
| |
| | about the accuracy of such tests, whether
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| concludes, may be used to detect
| |
| | the tests are more reliable than other
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| individuals at risk for bone fractures
| |
| | available predictive measures and the
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| and osteoporosis.
| |
| | incomplete knowledge of the causal roles
|
| A study at the University of Michigan,
| |
| | of genes versus the environment. As
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| entitled "Strategies for Prevention of
| |
| | stated in a January 8, 2004, online
|
| Colorectal Cancer: Pharmaceutical and
| |
| | article "Genetic Testing for
|
| nutritional Interventions," says that a
| |
| | Cardiovascular Disease Susceptibility" in
|
| change in diet or supplementation may be
| |
| | the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis,
|
| ideal for individuals at risk for
| |
| | and Vascular Biology, "for a DNA test to
|
| colorectal cancer. In both studies, the
| |
| | be useful in clinical management of CVD,
|
| key word is individual. Personal changes
| |
| | it is obviously critical that the tests
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| in diet and supplementation without
| |
| | must have additional predictive power
|
| knowledge of genetic make-up are a
| |
| | over and above those accepted risk
|
| shotgun approach - mega dosing in the
| |
| | factors that can be easily measured,
|
| hope of hitting any target. Replace this
| |
| | usually inexpensively, and with high
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| hit-and-miss approach with a rational
| |
| | reproducibility and replicability."
|
| regime and the possibilities for health
| |
| | As is always the case acceptance of an
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| care are striking. One company that
| |
| | idea that challenges the entrenched way
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| offers DNA testing says it reviews the
| |
| | of doing things is slow in coming. The
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| customer's variation in 19 genes that are
| |
| | DNA tests now being offered may help
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| involved in the body's heart and bone
| |
| | perfect the technology and advance
|
| health, detoxification and antioxidant
| |
| | dialogue that helps answer the ethical
|
| capacity, insulin sensitivity and tissue
| |
| | questions.
|
| repair. It combines the results with
| |
| | When it comes to the use of DNA testing
|
| lifestyle information to recommend steps
| |
| | to improve health, such as tailoring
|
| to improve health.
| |
| | diets to the predisposition for a
|
| Obesity
| |
| | disease, much that is unknown. The
|
| Many people see DNA testing as a way to
| |
| | promise is that one day you may be able
|
| improve the well-being of large segments
| |
| | to eat your way to health, depending on
|
| of the world inexpensively, compared with
| |
| | your genetic code. But getting there
|
| the social and economic costs of disease.
| |
| | means traveling a complex road with
|
| Considering the world's overburdened
| |
| | unknown twist and turns - and we
|
| health care delivery system, DNA testing
| |
| | definitely are not there yet. But are we
|
| does look appealing as a way to intervene
| |
| | moving in the right direction?
|
