Today, I present at the American Society for Human Genetics (ASHG) conference. I will be meeting with representatives of prenatal testing companies and visiting their exhibit booths. Calling on the wisdom of crowds, leave a comment on what questions you would ask. (The conference is in Boston and Game 1 of the World Series is tonight at Fenway--feel free to leave a comment if you have tickets for me, too!). Continue Reading
October 17, 2013
What have we learned about the new Down syndrome prenatal test?
In 2011, a new prenatal test for Down syndrome entered the market offering earlier, safer, and more accurate results. What have we learned about this new technology since then? Continue Reading
October 16, 2013
To raise Down syndrome awareness, get the information
With October being National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, here are two great opportunities to get the information to raise that awareness. Continue Reading
September 24, 2013
A confluence of conflicts of interests in Down syndrome prenatal testing
Yesterday, I shared Andrew Pollack's excellent column headlined "Conflict Potential Seen in Genetic Counselors." The report shared a confluence of conflicts of interests due to another recent development. Continue Reading
September 23, 2013
BREAKING NEWS: You May Be Influenced by Who Pays You
In a previous post, I mentioned that one factor often left out in the discussion of prenatal genetic testing is the cost of the testing itself and how that may influence decisions. Turns out that the advice a patient receives about prenatal testing may be influenced by the cost of giving that advice ... and who is paying for it. Continue Reading
September 20, 2013
Noninvasive prenatal testing should be a secondary screen
The headline isn't my conclusion. Tellingly, it's the result arrived at by a researcher for one of the Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) labs. And, one of the labs that would prefer if the opposite were the case. Continue Reading
September 5, 2013
Emily Oster’s Expecting Better, Part II: Prenatal Diagnostic Testing, not new, outdated, & incomplete
In her book, Expecting Better, Emily Oster, an economics professor at the University of Chicago, writes about lessons learned while pregnant that run counter to the conventional wisdom about prenatal care. One lesson concerns prenatal genetic testing, specifically invasive diagnostic testing. But Oster's lesson is not news, is outdated, and is incomplete. Continue Reading
August 29, 2013
What’s your view on prenatal testing for Down syndrome?
Researchers at Standford want to know what you think about prenatal testing for Down syndrome and other genetic conditions. Continue Reading
August 23, 2013
“Unfortunately, I have some bad news for you” about Down syndrome prenatal testing
As a companion piece to the HuffPostLive segment on Down syndrome prenatal testing (which I blogged about here), the Huffington Posts' Katherine Bindley reported on the concerns about adequate counseling. Let's look at some key quotes from that piece. Continue Reading
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