Use + Remix

Gene screen

Genomic sequencing, which reads the baby’s DNA, has the potential to look at many more conditions than current newborn screening. : Jonathan Borba Unsplash Licence

Compiling and storing the DNA of newborns could be a massive boon for public health. But the ethical questions are just as big.

Gene screen

The pros and cons of storing babies’ DNA

Compiling and storing the DNA of newborns could be a massive boon for public health. But the ethical questions are just as big.

Health
Genetically, the signs of Down syndrome are the same, but people with it have widely varying levels of independence. : Carlos Palácio CC 0

With prenatal genetic screening now routine, it’s relevant to ask whether prospective parents or scientists understand enough about the results.

Gene screen

The ethical minefield of screening for disabilities

With prenatal genetic screening now routine, it’s relevant to ask whether prospective parents or scientists understand enough about the results.

Health
Key advantages of long-read sequencing make it the technology of choice for many new scientific projects. : DNA sequence by ssalonso is available at https://bit.ly/3YaOmDL CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Cost, availability and sample preservation are the main concerns but progress is rapid.

Gene screen

The race to improve DNA sequencing

Cost, availability and sample preservation are the main concerns but progress is rapid.

Economy
New sequencing technologies bring valuable benefits but equitable access may be a challenge. : ‘Strawberries at Out Standing in the Field’ by SanFranAnnie is available at https://bit.ly/41mGl16 CC BY-SA 2.0

Advances in the field are revolutionary but require safeguards to curb misuse.

Gene screen

DNA could ensure strawberry fields forever

Economy
Although individually very rare, collectively, rare diseases affect huge numbers of people. : James Cridland CC BY 2.0

‘Rare’ diseases are anything but. And with cheaper DNA sequencing, patients’ lives will be transformed.

Gene screen

Why life is about to get better for patients with rare diseases

Health
Science can read the DNA code, or ‘sequence’ DNA, faster and cheaper and create more raw data than ever before. But how do we interpret it? : Micah Baldwin CCBY2.0

Collecting DNA data is not much help without the key to understanding what it all means. And that key is centralised health records.

Gene screen

DNA data offers benefits many of us will never realise

Health
The darker aspects of genome science were evoked in The X Men films such as Days of the Future Past. : Elliott Brown CC BY-SA 2.0

Unless people are brought into conversations about genetic discrimination dystopian scenarios may come to pass.

Gene screen

Genetic discrimination and the ghost of the future past

Health
A new technique in sequencing DNA will help poor countries identifying emerging diseases : Direct Relief is available at https://bit.ly/3EAFG2r CC BY 2.0

Cheap, portable sequencers in poor countries could be key to identifying and halting emerging diseases before they have a chance to become a pandemic.

Gene screen

This could stop pandemics in their tracks

Science
DNA sequencing has become cheaper and widely available, raising challenging questions for scientists and ethicists. : Michael Joiner, 360info CC BY 4.0

Cheaper DNA sequencing promises a world of health benefits. But to realise these, careful and sensitive storage of DNA data is vital.

8 perspectives
Special Report

Cheaper gene screening makes for DNA data dilemma

Health