DNA Screening at DR office (Vanity)

[john316]

Okay, lets leave out death panels & other conspiracies. Both my wife and daughter have recently been in for "well woman" exams. The problem I have is that the DR is pushing some type of DNA screening. Can anyone explain to me any medical necessity for this type of screening?

[Texan5]

I may be an unrepentant rebel, radical about keeping my info to myself-but in my opinion, that middle finger and no thank you was the right thing to say/do...

[Kirkwood]

Depending on the condition being tested, it can:
1. Show you the potential for acquiring the disease (evidence of genes being present).
2. Assess the potential for severity of the disease given other information.

For example, say it is a test for wet age-related macular degeneration. You will learn if you carry any of the genes associated with the disease. Now if you are a smoker or have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, etc, you will get a numerical indication of how likely you are to contract the most severe form of the disease when all factors are combined.

Using this information you can then make informed decisions to:

1. Change any behaviors that worsen the severity of the disease, like stop smoking or lose weight.

2. Make financial plans for your care when you find out you have an X% probability of being Y% visually disabled in Z years.

3. Continue your life without having to worry about going blind since you don’t carry the genes for wet AMD.

Etc.

Of course some people don’t want to know their risks, but some people do.

[fulltlt]

DNA testing will tell what all of your preexisting conditions are.

[Kay Ludlow]

While there are plenty of valid medical reasons to consider DNA testing, don’t forget that under the ACA, all records have to be in a specific electronic format, where they will be accessible to 38 government agencies...

1.Administration for Children & Families (ACF)
2.Administration for Community Living (ACL)
3.Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
4.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
5.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
6.Department of Agriculture (USDA)
7.Department of Defense (DOD)
8.Department of Education (DOE)
9.Department of Justice (DOJ)
10.Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
11.Department of Labor (DOL)
12.Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
13.Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
14.Federal Health Architecture (FHA)
15.Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
16.Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
17.Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
18.HHS Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR)
19.HHS Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
20.HHS Assistant Secretary for Legislation (ASL)
21.HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
22.HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
23.HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
24.HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
25.HHS Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
26.HHS Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
27.HHS Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
28.HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH)
29.HHS Office of the Secretary (OS)
30.Indian Health Service (IHS)
31.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
32.National Institutes of Health (NIH)
33.National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
34.National Science Foundation (NSF)
35.Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD)
36.Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
37.Social Security Administration (SSA)
38.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

[JimRed]

To find out what you might die from that’s already genetically included in your body?

[Excellence]

NASA?!

[KosmicKitty]

Does breast cancer or ovarian cancer run in your wife’s family?

if so, at least have your wife get the tests done. Heavy cancer link in my mother’s family ( mother (colon & ovarian cancer that spread to her liver and pancreas), grandmother (breast cancer that spread to her lungs) and great-grandmother (liver cancer)).

I had the BRC1 and BRC2 test done. If the test had come back positive, I would have scheduled surgery as I’m past childbearing age. If I were younger, my doctor would have closely monitored me.

Thank God, both came back that I didn’t have the gene. Because of my mother’s cancer, I also had a more experimental screening for ovarian cancer, that again, thank God!!, came back negative. I also started my colon scans in my 40’s, and because of a few precancerous polyps and my high risk, I have to go every 5 years as will my kids. (Yeah, the clean out sucks, but colon cancer sucks worse, just get it done)

I would strongly recommend the test. If they come back negative, it doesn’t mean they won’t get cancer. It means that they don’t have an increased chance of getting cancer, but it is still a relief, especially if there is a family history. If they come back positive, you know you’re high risk and you can be monitored or have preventative surgery.

Watching someone you love die of cancer is devastating. Anything that may prevent or delay that end is well worth it, IMHO.