‘Ticking away in the back of my mind’: what does it mean to know the risk embedded in your DNA?

Scheme aims to help Australia become the first country to offer preventive genetic testing through public healthcare. Is that knowledge power?Get ourfree news app,morning email briefing ordaily news podcastMortality has always been on Perry Jones ’ mind, much more so than your average 20-something. She’s dealt with a number of challenging health conditions since her teens, so when her mother urged her to be screened for the BRCA1 variant and BRCA2 variant gene a couple of years ago (both of which indicate a high risk of breast and ovaria n cancer) she didn’t exactly jump at the chance.Jones, who has type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and spinal development issues, speaks about her dealings with the health system in the world-weary way of someone who ’s been in and out of waiting rooms her whole life.Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morningContinue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Genetics Science Health Biology Source Type: news