Austin McKittrick

Does it Run in the Family? How to Gather the Health Info You Need

Family health history is one of the most important ways to understand the likelihood of future health developments. While gathering this information is recommended, it’s not always easy.  Compiling this information allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to see the bigger picture of health patterns that can be related to genetic and hereditary conditions. With …

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Carrier Screening Tests for Expecting Parents: A Discussion on VUS

My colleagues and I were recently discussing some issues around carrier screening, particularly when it comes to variants of uncertain significance (VUS). As the name implies, VUSs are changes that are found in a gene that have not been seen enough to know whether they affect how the gene works (and thus can cause disease) …

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The Changing Landscape of Genetic Counseling

The landscape of the genetic counselor workforce has shifted dramatically in recent years, in large part due to new opportunities for genetic counselors in genetic testing laboratory settings. According to the Professional Status Survey conducted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the number of genetic counselors who report a laboratory as their primary work setting …

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Think Before You Spit: A Guide to Understanding At-Home DNA Testing Kits

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, or testing that can be ordered from your home without a medical provider, has blown up as an industry over the last 10 years. Some estimates have the global direct-to-consumer genetic testing market reaching $2.5 billion by the year 2025. So. Much. Money to be made! And these companies know it. …

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