Here’s one of those big questions to ask at a dinner party to get the conversation going: If you could know the date of your death, would you want to?
[lz_ndn video=29421202]
That’s a scary question. Most people would answer “no.”
But what if you changed the question slightly? How about: If you could know which diseases you are most likely to get as you grow older, would you want to?
Most people would probably say “yes,” and for good reason.
With doctors now in agreement that 75 to 80 percent of your health is determined by your behavior, knowing you are prone to something like heart disease could radically change your dietary habits. Goodbye fatty steaks. Hello fish and lean meat.
This is one of the primary goals for personal genetic health testing, a new science that examines an individual’s inherited risks for diseases. Such knowledge allows you to take preventive measures.
The science behind it is epigenetics, said Dr. Florence Comite, a New York-based endocrinologist and for 24 years an associate professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Epigenetics refers to our ability to turn genes on and off.
Epigenetics refers to our ability to turn genes on and off.
“There are triggers that come into play,” Comite told LifeZette. “DNA switches can modify the way the genes are expressed. And those switches can range from medications to food to supplements to your sleep. This is the insight of the 21st century, that lifestyle connects to genetic expression, and visa versa. If you have the right kinds of genes that create obesity or brilliance, certain lifestyle choices will turn those on or off.”
Related: The Surgeon You Should Know
Comite is a leading expert in precision medicine, the subject of a $215 million federal initiative announced in January. The idea is to focus on each patient with extreme precision, right down to the cellular level.
This is what genetic testing enables, prompting a handful of personal genetic services companies to come roaring out of the box five years ago with over-the-counter tests for consumers, only to be put back in the box by the Food and Drug Administration.
Among the leaders in the field was Pathway Genomics, which offered to test your saliva for 24 disease risks for $399. The FDA challenged Pathway in 2010 when it tried to make its test available on pharmacy shelves. Another was 23andMe, which offered a $99 saliva test for 240 health conditions and traits. It was ordered by the FDA to stop marketing its product in 2013.
The FDA’s concern came into sharp focus later that year when the New York Times ran a first-person article by a woman who had sent saliva samples to Pathway, 23andMe and a third company, Genetic Testing Laboratory. The results varied widely. 23andMe put her risk for psoriasis was 20 percent; GTL said it was 2 percent. For coronary heart disease, 23andMe and GTL gave her an “average” risk, but Pathway said her odds “were above average.”
One reason for the discrepancies was that only snippets of full genes were tested; future tests will be more comprehensive. Also, blood samples likely will be used, rather than the less accurate saliva tests.
Related: Transplants Gain Traction
In the meantime, some doctors use genetic tests for their patients, which they closely supervise, while companies that offer tests to the public are highly specific.
Interleuken Genetics, for example, offers a test to determine a person’s genetic risk for severe periodontal disease. Counsyl Inc. tests only for inherited risk for cancer. Other companies test for a patient’s genetic risk for bad reactions to common drugs.
But make no mistake — accurate genetic testing is on its way and “will be a game changer,” Comite said.
“It will take about a decade to go from the lab to true reality, but we’ll be able to carve a path for an individual to control their destiny,” she said.
Join the Discussion
Comments are currently closed.