Genome Med. 2015;7(1):74. doi: 10.1186/s13073-015-0188-5. eCollection 2015.
BACKGROUND: There is a widespread assumption that risk prediction is the major driver of customer interest in personal genomic testing (PGT). However, some customers may also be motivated by finding out whether their existing diseases have a genetic aetiology. We evaluated the impact of an existing medical diagnosis on customer interest in condition-specific results from PGT.
METHODS: Using a prospective online survey of PGT customers, we measured customer interest prior to receiving PGT results for 11 health conditions, and examined the association between interest and personal medical history of these conditions using logistic regression.
RESULTS: We analyzed data from 1,538 PGT customers, mean age 48.7 years, 61 % women, 90 % White, and 47 % college educated. The proportion of customers who were ‘very interested’ in condition-specific PGT varied considerably, from 28 % for ulcerative colitis to 68% for heart disease. After adjusting for demographic and personal characteristics including family history, having a diagnosis of the condition itself was significantly associated with interest in genetic testing for risk of that condition, with odds ratios ranging from 2.07 (95 % CI 1.28-3.37) for diabetes to 19.99 (95 % CI 4.57-87.35) for multiple sclerosis.
CONCLUSIONS: PGT customers are particularly interested in genetic markers for their existing medical conditions, suggesting that the value of genetic testing is not only predictive, but also explanatory.
In the age of genomics one can now be genome sequenced for about $1,000 and a few weeks. Maybe we should all be sequenced a birth, it would aid the issue of matching people for transplants, aid in crime prevention, such as rape. But who holds the information and what will the information be used for such as assessing your risk of developing disease in 50 years time and affecting your insurance premium
So by all means get yourself genotyped, but it will be some time before it explains your MS.
Do you have an opinion about the work showing a link between MS and the genes for vitamin d production. The article is on the BBC website at the moment http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34055529
yep but ill let profG give you his opinion VD iz his baby.
http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001866
Vitamin D and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: A Mendelian Randomization Study
ta hopefully profg will do this its in his in box.
I'm glad that I had no knowledge of my PPMS until I was into my twenties. At least I had some carefree years without the shadow of incurable disease in my psyche. Pandora's box springs to mind.