Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
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Genetics isn't always black and white. News stories related to genetics often raise more questions than they answer. On Genotypecast, we bring you insight from genetic counselors. Your host, Eleanor Griffith, MS, CGC, is a certified genetic counselor and the founder of Grey Genetics, an independent telehealth genetic counseling and consulting service.
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
On January 1, 2022, the New York Times published an article focused on the high false positive rates of micro-deletions and -duplications in non-invasive prenatal screening tests NIPS/NIPT. The article was entitled, “When They Warn of Rare Disorders, These Prenatal Tests Are Usually Wrong.” The reaction on Twitter from genetic counselors was mostly negative and critical. I discussed this article and genetic counselors’ reaction to it with certified genetic counselor Katie Stoll.
Articles/Podcasts Discussed:
Kliff, Sarah and Aatish Bhatia. “When They Warn of Rare Disorders, These Prenatal Test ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Jordan Brown follows up on Katie Sagaser’s tweets exhorting genetic counselors to speak up for the importance of access to abortions in the third trimester and also to advocate for reproductive rights and reproductive justice more broadly.
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Related Articles and Resources
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Sister Song
After Tiller. Documentary Film. 2013.
NSGC Code of Ethics
Pacia, Danielle M. "Reproduc ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Barbara W. Harrison discusses how racism impacts the health disparities in Sickle Cell Disease, gene therapies in development, and how these developments are being received by the Sickle Cell Disease Community.
Follow Barbara on Twitter: @Barb_DNA_GC
Find Barbara on LinkedIn
Related Articles and Resources:
Alexandra Power-Hays, M.D. and Patrick T. McGann, M.D. “When Actions Speak Louder Than Words — Racism and Sickle Cell Disease.” N Engl J Med 2020; 383:1902-1903
Farooq F. et al. "Comparison of US Federal and Foundation Funding of Research for Sickle Cell Disease ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Elizabeth Fieg, MS, CGC expands on her recent Twitter thread, discussing the problems with using categories of race and ancestry to guide test selection in pharmacogenomics and more broadly in medical genetics. She explains how a broader approach to testing is more equitable and can also be more cost-effective.
Related Articles and Resources:
Follow Elizabeth on Twitter: @ElizFiegCGC
Elizabeth’s twitter thread on race and pharmacogenomics
Elizabeth’s interview for the AliveAndKickin podcast (09/30/20)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Pharmacogenomics Clinic
Yudell M, et al. “NIH must confront t ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Naomi Wagner, MS, CGC dives into the topic of gene therapy, explaining why ocular genetics is an especially promising area for gene therapy and how discussion of gene therapy with patients is a routine part of her practice in providing telehealth genetic counseling services for ocular conditions. She also provides some perspective on just how long it can take for a gene therapy to become available, genetic counselors’ actual and potential roles in gene therapy trials, and the ethical and social issues surrounding gene therapy.
Find Naomi on Twitter: @Naomi_CGC
Related Articles and Resources ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Karen Huelsman MS, LGC discusses recent NCCN guideline updates which expand genetic testing criteria (for high-penetrance hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer susceptibility genes) to include any mutation identified on tumor testing that has clinical implications if also identified in the germline. She discusses these updated recommendations in the context of the evolution of tumor genomic testing, commercially available paired tumor testing, and her role as a Precision Medicine Oncology Genetic Counselor.
Find Karen on Twitter: @Karen_GC_Cincin and on LinkedIn
Related Links an ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Brianne Kirkpatrick discusses the recent New York Times article “When a DNA Test Says You’re a Younger Man, Who Lives 5,000 Miles Away.” How surprising is this story? What are the implications for law enforcement? Should a bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipient be worried about passing on their donor’s DNA rather than their own DNA to any children they may have? (Spoiler alert.. No… Brianne will explain why.)
Do you have questions or topics you’d like a genetic counselor to discuss on a future episode ? Leave us a short voice message here! We may use your mes ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Deanna Darnes was the first Black student to graduate from her genetic counseling training program of The University of Texas Genetic Counseling Program (UTGCP) in 2010. Ten years later, there are over 5,000 genetic counselors in the United States, yet fewer than 50 are Black. Deanna discusses how whataboutisms can derail efforts to increase these numbers, recruitment strategies, and the new organization Black in Genetics (BIG), dedicated to amplifying the voices and work of Black-identifying geneticists across the U.S. and beyond.
Follow Deanna on Twitter: @furiou ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Emily Goldberg discusses the new ACOG guidelines related to Screening for Fetal Chromosomal Abnormalities. ACOG (The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) now recommends that NIPS (Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening) be offered to all women, rather than to only women with higher risk pregnancies. Emily also reviews current use and practices related to NIPS, its benefits and limitations.
Do you have questions or topics you’d like a genetic counselor to discuss on a future episode ? Leave us a short voice message here! We may use your message on a future show ..read more
Genotypecast with Grey Genetics
7M ago
Certified genetic counselor Aishwarya Arjunan, MS, MPH, CGC, CPH expands on her recent tweet, which got a lot of attention from genetic counselors on Twitter:
I always use myself as an example, why should I get a test with a 55% detection rate for CF-23 while someone who is AJ has a 97% detection rate. We're both paying our insurance premiums/deductibles, why do I get a lower quality screen based on my ethnicity/race?
For context, Aishwarya is of South Asian ancestry. She discusses how outdated practice guidelines related to carrier testing are reflective of structural racism.
Do you have ques ..read more