genetic testing

From apps to gadgets, 'Second Life' considers how tech is changing having a baby

3:10pm May 08, 2025

When Amanda Hess learned her unborn child had a genetic condition, she turned to the internet — but didn't find reassurance. "My relationship with technology became so much more intense," she says.

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Jeremy Nottingham (bottom right) sits for a family photo with his parents, Junius and Sharon, and sister Briana.

Testing your genes for cancer risk is way cheaper now — and it could save your life

1:18pm August 02, 2023

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Millions of people in the U.S. have a genetic variant that raises their risk of cancer. Genetic testing can help people find cancer earlier and seek treatment. But many patients aren't offered it.

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Even though the sisters hope a successful drug treatment for their family's form of dementia will emerge, they're now planning for a future without one. "There's a kind of sorrow about Alzheimer's disease that, as strange as it seems, there's a comfort in being in the presence of people who understand it," Ward says.

With early Alzheimer's in the family, these sisters decided to test for the gene

5:00am September 12, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

For some people, a rare genetic mutation makes dementia inescapable. Three sisters have decided to confront fate with a genetic test and have joined a research project on possible treatments.

Author Sasa Woodruff discovered by accident that she carried a rare genetic marker for a deadly stomach cancer. The recommendation from her doctor? A complete removal of her stomach.

Health & Safety

A food lover faces an unimaginable choice: Give up her stomach or risk a fatal cancer

1:28pm November 07, 2021

by Sáša Woodruff

Cooking and sharing elaborate meals was her joy. Then she learned a mutation in her genes puts her at extremely high risk of gastric cancer. Could she lose her stomach to save her life?

Michelle Kuppersmith's doctor recommended a bone marrow biopsy after suspecting she had a rare blood disorder. Though the biopsy was done by an in-network provider at an in-network hospital, Kuppersmith learned she was on the hook for $2,400 for out-of-ne

Health & Safety

A Genetic Test For A Microscopic Problem Came With A Jumbo Price Tag

4:36pm March 31, 2020

by Liz Szabo

Molecular diagnostics are at the frontier of medical science. But along with precise information about health, the tests raise billing questions that can create a minefield for patients.

Myriad Genetics is among a handful of companies that make a genetic test to help doctors choose psychiatric medicines for patients. Evidence that the tests are effective has been called "inconclusive."

Health & Safety

DNA Tests For Psychiatric Drugs Are Controversial But Some Insurers Are Covering Them

4:29pm October 17, 2019

by Graison Dangor

Finding the right medication to treat mental health problems can be a frustrating trial-and-error process. New genetic tests aim to match meds to patients more effectively, but do they really work?

Jeri Seidman and her daughter Hannah lounge at their home in Charlottesville, Va. Hannah is a patient in a genetic risk study about Type 1 diabetes.

Health & Safety

Researchers Try A Genetic Diabetes Test To Prevent Emergency Hospitalizations

5:35am October 14, 2019

by Richard Harris

Will a genetic test for Type 1 diabetes risk be valuable to parents, despite its shortcomings? Now many parents don't know their kids have this condition until they end up in the hospital.

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In the alleged scheme, Medicare beneficiaries were offered, at no cost to them, genetic testing to estimate their cancer risk.

U.S. Justice Department Charges 35 People In Fraudulent Genetic Testing Scheme

8:32pm September 27, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

Doctors, labworkers and telemarketers from around the U.S. were among those arrested in the investigation of a scheme that the DOJ alleges defrauded seniors and Medicare.

Researchers are hoping to learn how to effectively convey information about people's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, a dementia still without a cure.

Health & Safety

A Genetic Test That Reveals Alzheimer's Risk Can Be Cathartic Or Distressing

11:09pm July 12, 2019

by Jon Hamilton

Genetic tests can now tell us a lot about our risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. But that doesn't mean people are prepared to receive the information.

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A decade ago, it seemed inevitable that every newborn would get a complete gene scan. But there are technical challenges and practical concerns.

Health & Safety

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns

5:00am July 08, 2019

by Richard Harris

Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.

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