by Morgan Danowski and Jason Vassy A new paradigm of precision prostate cancer screening could increase benefits and lower harms. The most common cancer among men in the United States, besides skin cancer, is prostate cancer. Black men in the U.S. are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate…

We know this screening saves lives. Why aren’t health systems adopting it? By Carrie Blout Zawatsky Preventive genomic screening (aka elective testing) has been offered in research settings and directly to consumers for nearly a decade. Direct to consumer (DTC) testing has reached over 100 million individuals. Large research initiatives…

The lack of diversity in genomic research may be a call to fundamentally change the research enterprise. By Robert C. Green Medical research has a diversity problem. It happens through a combination of factors, from researchers’ own uneven recruitment practices to many communities’ mistrust of medical institutions, built both on…

I hope for a future where more people can choose to learn about their genetics and take control of their health. by Charlene Preys, MS, GC When I began as a research trainee with the Genomes2People (G2P) research program in 2019, it never crossed my mind that I might end…

Sequencing the human genome was a transformative step for human health and reproductive decision-making. Now, the courts are putting families back in the dark. by Bethany Zettler On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion for almost 50 years…

Reaping the full benefits of personalized medicine requires a cadre of genetic counselors as diverse as our patients. We’re working on it. by Shardae Williams Our genes have been described as “portals to the past,” constellations unlocking a cosmos of information about what makes us who we are. However, a…

A new report on returning genomic research results to biobank participants makes a strong case for doing more of this — and how not to do it. by Robert C. Green Millions of people around the world have had their genomes sequenced as research participants, but few will ever see…

For the first time in history, we can treat the underlying cause of some genetic diseases — if we catch them early enough. What does this mean for public health? by Bethany Zettler, MS, CGC Newborn screening as we know it began in 1963, and today the program looks for…

In an unprecedented international effort, researchers and clinicians tackle the genomics of COVID-19 risk. by Robert C. Green Why does COVID-19 affect some people differently than others? Are some people more likely to contract it than others, even if they’ve had the same exposure? …