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Routine DNA Sequencing May Be Helpful And Not As Scary As Feared
A study of whole genome sequencing found that while many people discovered genetic variations linked to rare diseases, they didn't overreact to the news.
by Rob Stein
Jun 26, 2017
3 minutes
Advances in technology have made it much easier, faster and less expensive to do whole genome sequencing — to spell out all three billion letters in a person's genetic code. Falling costs have given rise to speculation that it could soon become a routine part of medical care, perhaps as routine as checking your blood pressure.
But will such tests, which can be done for as little as $1,000, prove useful, or needlessly scary?
The first closely-controlled aimed at answering that question suggests that doctors and their patients can handle the flood of information the tests wouldThe study was published Monday in
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