"Recent discoveries about our genetic makeup have turned medicine, science and even our legal system into high-stakes players in a DNA lottery, one that could affect the treatment people receive for cardiac care, diabetes and other diseases," Karla Holloway, a Duke University law professor, writes in a Raleigh News & Observer opinion piece.
Holloway writes that "extracting DNA information ... is so closely tied to the complicated issue of race in this country that it seems impossible to separate the two." Holloway makes reference to BiDil, the first heart disease drug specifically targeted to blacks, noting that not all blacks physically appear or identify themselves as black.
C -reactive Protein is the Marker for Cardiovascular Disease
C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that is often used to detect cardiovascular disease.
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She asks, "[W]hat kinds of determinations do physicians make before they consider BiDil as a treatment option? ... Exactly what percentage of African ancestry must one have to merit a particular drug marketed to black folks?"
She adds that the "goal of genetic science is appropriately targeted toward medical decisions that are individual. A person's genetic makeup will one day lead to very specific, indeed individualized medical advice. But as long as we equate
![DNA Test More Accurate in Detecting Cervical Cancer Than Pap]( "DNA Test More Accurate in Detecting Cervical Cancer Than Pap")
The human papillomavirus (HPV) screening test for cervical cancer is far more accurate than the traditional Pap test, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the United States.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation
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DNA Test More Accurate in Detecting Cervical Cancer Than Pap
The human papillomavirus (HPV) screening test for cervical cancer is far more accurate than the traditional Pap test, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the United States.
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Source: Kaiser Family Foundation
LIN/P
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