JAMA news releases are made available to the public after 3 pm US Central time on the first 4 Tuesdays of each month. The Archives Journals news releases are made available to the public after 3 pm Central time on Mondays. We also provide a list of previous news releases.
THIS WEEK'S CONTENT
JAMA NEWS RELEASES
(Embargoed for Early Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008)
JAMA NEWS RELEASES — THEME ISSUE ON GENETICS AND GENOMICS
GENE AND ACTIVITY LEVEL OF HDL-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN LINKED TO RISK OF HEART DISEASE
GENE VARIANTS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF BONE FRACTURES, LOW BONE MINERAL DENSITY
VARIATIONS OF STRESS RESPONSE GENE APPEAR TO BE PREDICTIVE OF RISK OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS
INTEGRATING GENOMIC MEDICINE INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR COMMON CHRONIC DISEASES STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES
* A LISTING OF OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS THEME ISSUE ARE INCLUDED BELOW
JAMA REPORT (VIDEO SCRIPT)
VIDEO: Windows Media | Quicktime
ADVANCES IN GENETIC MEDICINE ARE GREAT BUT SOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE NOT READY TO DELIVER THESE SERVICES
ARCHIVES JOURNALS
(Embargoed for Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008)
GENETICS BRINGS PROMISE OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE TO A VARIETY OF SPECIALTIES
Recent advances highlighted in Archives theme issues
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THESE NEWS RELEASES IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. JOURNAL ATTRIBUTION IS REQUIRED.
SAVE THE DATE: JAMA will hold a media briefing on Tuesday, March 18, from 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Genetics and Genomics. Detailed program and registration information is available here.
TV Note: This week's JAMA Video News Report is on the integration of genomic medicine into clinical practice for common chronic diseases. The report will be fed Tuesday, March 18, from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. ET and 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET, on Galaxy 26 (formerly Intelsat America 6) C-Band, Transponder 14, downlink frequency: 3880 vertical, audio 6.2/6.8. For more information, call 312/464-JAMA.
Please Note: The FOR THE MEDIA Web site now has a search feature to enable media to find previous JAMA/Archives news releases on specific medical topics. This search feature link is located on the home page at www.jamamedia.org.
JOURNALISTS CAN NOW ACCESS EMBARGOED JAMA/ARCHIVES STUDIES ONLINE
Go to www.jamamedia.org for more information and to apply for access.
Embargoed for Early Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Stanley L. Hazen, M.D., Ph.D., call Brian Kolonick at 216-444-0898.
GENE AND ACTIVITY LEVEL OF HDL-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN LINKED TO RISK OF HEART DISEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The gene for the HDL-associated protein paraoxonase 1 (PON1) appears to be associated with coronary artery disease and with the risk of developing adverse cardiac events, and variations in both the PON1 gene and its related enzyme activity may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease events, according to a study in the March 19 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Genetics and Genomics.
Stanley L. Hazen, M.D., Ph.D., of the Cleveland Clinic, presented the findings of the study at a JAMA media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Despite evidence that PON1 prevents atherosclerosis in animals, a cardio-protective role in humans has not been established. Several studies have suggested that PON1 may have antioxidant and cardio-protective properties, according to background information in the article.
Dr. Hazen and colleagues conducted a study to examine the association between PON1 activity (such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities) and if a PON1 gene variation (polymorphism) Q192R were associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular disease and major adverse cardiac events (heart attack, stroke or death). The study included 1,399 patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography between September 2002 and November 2003, and were followed-up until December 2006.
The researchers found that the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was significantly lower in participants in the highest PON1 activity quartile (7.3 percent for paraoxonase) compared with those in the lowest activity quartile (25.1 percent for paraoxonase).
The results also indicated that variations of the PON1 gene demonstrated significant dose-dependent associations with decreased levels of serum PON1 activity and increased levels of measures of oxidative stress (damage to cells and tissues from an imbalance between excess free radicals and not enough antioxidants), and that the PON1 Q192R polymorphism and serum PON1 activity were associated with both coronary artery disease and adverse cardiovascular events over the ensuing three year period after enrollment in the study.
“The current findings provide direct prospective evidence of an important mechanistic link between the PON1 gene and PON1 systemic activity measures with both multiple quantitative indices of oxidative stress and atherosclerotic heart disease development in humans. Paraoxonase 1 is [strongly] associated with HDL particles within the circulation and has been argued to promote some of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects attributed to HDL. Thus, the present studies also provide further support for the concept that functional properties beyond the ability of HDL and its associated proteins to promote reverse cholesterol transport contribute to the overall ability of this lipoprotein to reduce or prevent development of atherosclerosis,” the authors conclude.
(JAMA. 2008;299[11]:1265-1276. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
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Embargoed for Early Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Joyce B. J. van Meurs, Ph.D., email: j.vanmeurs{at}erasmusmc.nl.
GENE VARIANTS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF BONE FRACTURES, LOW BONE MINERAL DENSITY
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Results from a large study indicate that variants of the gene LRP5 are associated with a significant increase in the risk of fractures, by up to 20 percent, and lower levels of bone mineral density in the spine and hip, according to a study in the March 19 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Genetics and Genomics.
Joyce B. J. van Meurs, Ph.D., of Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, presented the findings of the study at a JAMA media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), deterioration of bone and increased risk for fractures. Studies have shown that genetic factors determine up to 80 percent of the variance in BMD, which is a major predictor of osteoporotic fractures, according to background information in the article. While the genes that contribute to differences in risk for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures are for the most part unknown, it is thought that the risk of developing osteoporosis is dependent on several common gene variants. Variations of the gene LRP5 have been linked to bone mass accrual and susceptibility to osteoporosis, and some reports have suggested that some of these variants contribute to change in BMD in the general population, but results have been inconclusive, partly because of small sample size.
Dr. van Meurs and colleagues examined the association between variants to the genes LRP5 and LRP6 to BMD and risk of fracture using large-scale evidence, with the combined analysis of individual-level data of the full Genetic Markers for Osteoporosis (GENOMOS) consortium, including data from 37,534 individuals from 18 participating teams in Europe and North America. Bone mineral density was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (an imaging technique). Fractures were identified via questionnaire, medical records, or radiographic documentation; new fracture data were available for some groups, determined via routine surveillance methods, including radiographic examination for vertebral fractures.
“In this large-scale multicenter collaborative study, we obtained evidence that genetic variation of the LRP5 gene is associated with both BMD and fracture risk. The magnitude of the effects was modest but very consistent across studies,” the authors write. “Based on the general acceptance that a 1-standard deviation reduction in bone mass doubles the fracture rate, an increase of fracture risk of about 15 percent to 20 percent is expected. This is similar to the observed effects on fracture, although adjustment for BMD only partly reduced the increase in fracture risk. This could raise the possibility of effects on bone quality, bone dimension, or other nonskeletal determinants of fracture, but also could be due to error in measurement of BMD. Further work will be required to address this point.”
“Our findings demonstrate that the modest effects of common genetic variations in complex diseases can be effectively addressed through large consortia and coordinated, standardized analysis. Such effects might be missed by smaller and potentially underpowered individual studies. This prospective collaborative study with individual level-data of 37,534 participants shows an effect of LRP5 genetic variation on both BMD and risk of fracture. While some other common variants have been associated previously with osteoporosis phenotypes [physical manifestations] with large-scale evidence, this may be the first time that an association in this field crosses the threshold of genome-wide statistical significance.”
“Although the magnitude of the effect was modest, the effect was very consistent in different populations and independent of sex or age. This suggests a role for LRP5 in determining BMD and fracture risk throughout life in the general population. Although any single marker explains only a small portion of the phenotype risk, identification of several such osteoporosis risk variants may eventually help in improving clinical prediction. Single genetic risk variants such as LRP5 may also offer useful insights about mechanisms and pathways that may be useful in drug development,” the researchers conclude.
(JAMA. 2008;299[11]:1277-1290. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
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Embargoed for Early Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Rebekah G. Bradley, Ph.D., call Kathi Baker at 404-727-9371.
VARIATIONS OF STRESS RESPONSE GENE APPEAR TO BE PREDICTIVE OF RISK OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Adults who experienced child abuse and have variations of a gene related to stress response appear to be at greater risk of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as adults, according to a study in the March 19 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Genetics and Genomics.
Rebekah G. Bradley, Ph.D., of the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, presented the findings of the study at a JAMA media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
“Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating stress-related psychiatric disorder, with prevalence rates of at least 7 percent to 8 percent in the U.S. population, and with much higher rates among combat veterans and those living in high-violence areas. Initially viewed as a potentially normative response to traumatic exposure, it became clear that not everyone experiencing trauma develops PTSD. Thus, a central question in research on PTSD is why some individuals are more likely than others to develop the disorder in the face of similar levels of trauma exposure,” the authors write. They add that it is becoming clear that there are critical roles for pre-disposing genetic and environmental influences in determining the psychological risk to the traumatized individual, with child abuse appearing to provide significant risk for the development of PTSD.
Dr. Bradley and colleagues conducted a study to determine the role of variations (polymorphisms) in one of the genes related to stress response, FKBP5, in predicting PTSD symptoms in a sample of highly traumatized, low-income men and women living in an urban area, and whether these genetic variations interact with increasing levels of both child abuse and other types of trauma exposure to be a predictor of PTSD symptoms during adulthood. The study consisted of an examination of genetic and psychological risk factors in 900 general medical clinic patients with significant levels of childhood abuse as well as other types of trauma, using a survey combined with genetic testing (single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] genotyping). Participants were primarily urban, low-income, black men and women seeking care in the general medical care and obstetrics-gynecology clinics of an urban public hospital, between 2005 and 2007.
The researchers found that both level of child abuse and level of other types of trauma each separately predicted level of adult PTSD symptomatology. Although genetic variations (FKBP5 SNPs) did not directly predict PTSD symptom outcome or interact with level of non–child abuse trauma to predict PTSD symptom severity, four variations (SNPs) in the FKBP5 locus (the specific site of a particular gene on its chromosome) significantly interacted with the severity of child abuse to predict level of adult PTSD symptoms. This gene - environment interaction remained significant when controlling for depression severity scores, age, sex, levels of trauma exposure other than child abuse and genetic ancestry.
“The most novel and important finding of our study was the interaction between FKBP5 polymorphisms and child abuse history to predict the levels of adult PTSD symptoms,” the authors write. “These genotypes potentially serve as predictors of both risk and resilience for adult PTSD among survivors of child physical and sexual abuse.”
(JAMA. 2008;299[11]:1291-1305. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
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Embargoed for Early Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Maren T. Scheuner, M.D., M.P.H., call Warren Robak at 310-451-6913.
INTEGRATING GENOMIC MEDICINE INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR COMMON CHRONIC DISEASES STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A large gap exists between what knowledge is available about genomic medicine and incorporating it into clinical practice for assessing the risk of and treating common chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer, according to a systematic review in the March 19 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Genetics and Genomics.
Maren T. Scheuner, M.D., M.P.H., of the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif., presented the findings of the study at a JAMA media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
“The greatest public health benefit of advances in understanding the human genome will likely occur as genomic medicine expands from its focus from rare genetic disorders to inclusion of more common chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer,” the authors provide as background information in the article. “With genomics discoveries relating to common chronic diseases, numerous genetic tests may emerge that hold promise for significant changes in the delivery of health care, particularly in preventive medicine and in tailoring drug treatment.”
Dr. Scheuner and colleagues analyzed the medical literature for research articles and systematic reviews published between Jan. 2000 and Feb. 2008 dealing with common chronic adult-onset conditions. The authors included 68 articles in the analysis and assessed four key areas: outcomes of genomic medicine, consumer information needs, delivery of genomic medicine, and challenges and barriers to integration of genomic medicine.
“Generally there were modest positive effects on psychological outcomes such as worry and anxiety, behavioral outcomes have shown mixed results, and clinical outcomes were less well studied,” the authors report. “The most important and consistent finding from our literature review is that the primary care workforce, which will be required to be on the front lines of the integration of genomics into the regular practice of medicine, feels woefully underprepared to do so.”
The authors note that consumers are unsure about the value of genetic testing and have concerns about privacy issues and discrimination in health insurance and employment. However, the consumers were interested in the technology to help better identify diseases for which they and their family members are at increased risk.
The analysis identified the need to better understand the outcomes of genomic medicine interventions. “More research describing clinical outcomes is needed: do patients who receive counseling and testing have better clinical outcomes in terms of mortality, decreases in incidence of disease, and better clinical responses to pharmaceuticals? And at what cost?”
Other barriers to the clinical integration of genomic medicine for common chronic diseases were identified by these authors in addition to the perceived inadequacy of the primary care workforce. “The most prominent of these include health professionals’ lack of basic knowledge about genetics and their lack of confidence in interpreting familial patterns of disease, which limits their ability to appropriately counsel their patients, order and accurately interpret genetic tests, and refer their patients for genetics consultation.”
In conclusion, the authors write: “It will be a lost opportunity if the health services research components of genomic medicine fail to keep pace with the rapid basic science advances and clinical discoveries.”
(JAMA. 2008;299[11]:1320-1334. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: This work was funded by the Health Services Research and Development Service, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Research and Development. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
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OTHER ARTICLES INCLUDED IN THE GENETICS/GENOMICS THEME ISSUE OF JAMA:
- Gene Variants Associated With the Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Screening for Cancer for Persons With Li Fraumeni Syndrome (disorder characterized by greater susceptibility to cancer)
- How to Interpret a Genome-wide Association Study
- Epigenetics (the study of non-DNA sequence-related heredity) as the Epicenter of Modern Medicine
- An Editorial by the JAMA Editors: Genetics and Genomics for Clinicians
- JAMA Patient Page: Genetics – The Basics
Commentaries:
- The Genome Gets Personal - Almost
- Genomic Profiles for Disease Risk: Predictive or Premature?
- Key Internet Genetics Resources for the Clinician
- Centralized Biorepositories for Genetic and Genomic Research
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Embargoed for Release: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Media Advisory: For more information, contact JAMA/Archives Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
GENETICS BRINGS PROMISE OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE TO A VARIETY OF SPECIALTIES
Recent advances highlighted in Archives theme issues
CHICAGO—A better understanding of genetics can lead to improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of diseases, according to reports published in the March issues of Archives of Dermatology, Archives of Neurology, Archives of Ophthalmology and Archives of Surgery, four of the JAMA/Archives journals. The theme issues on genetics are being published in conjunction with a JAMA theme issue on the same topic.
“This issue showcases a few of the latest advances in clinical genetics of the skin,” writes Anthony E. Oro, M.D., Ph.D., of Stanford University School of Medicine, Calif., in an editorial in Archives of Dermatology. “While scientific progress opens opportunities for medical breakthroughs, it also engenders additional challenges that need to be addressed in the years to come.”
Articles in the issue cover the genetics of:
- Vitiligo, a disorder of skin pigmentation
- Autoinflammatory diseases
- Keratosis, or growths on the skin
- Atopic dermatitis
(Arch Dermatol. 2008;144[3]:389-391, 310-316, 392-402, 375-379, 412-413. Available to the media pre-embargo at www.jamamedia.org).
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“The advances in genetics and genomics during the past decade have provided insight into the molecular processes underlying many ophthalmic disorders,” writes Janey L. Wiggs, M.D., Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, in an editorial in Archives of Ophthalmology. “These discoveries are valuable to the scientific community but also to physicians, as newly revealed genetic information is increasingly used to improve the quality of health care.”
Articles in the issue discuss the genetics of:
- Corneal dystrophy, or clouding in the eye’s clear outer membrane
- Progressive damage to the eye’s cone cells
- Uveal melanoma, a cancer of the eye
- Eye movement disorders
(Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126[3]:422-423, 388-394, 371-377, 379-384, 409-421. Available to the media pre-embargo at www.jamamedia.org).
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“Neuromics, the analysis of genomic DNA for risk association with a neurological disease, has achieved considerable success recently,” writes Roger N. Rosenberg, M.D., of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and editor of Archives of Neurology in an editorial. “An increased risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, restless leg syndrome and multiple sclerosis has been associated with polymorphisms in specific genes.”
The issue includes articles on neuromics applied to the following conditions:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Brain malformations
- Primary lateral sclerosis
(Arch Neurol. 2008;65[3]:307-308, 337-344, 345-348, 349-357, 373-378, 358-366, 383-386.
Available to the media pre-embargo at www.jamamedia.org).
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Articles in the Archives of Surgery address genetics and:
- Severe obesity
- Pancreatitis
- Septic shock (severe infection leading to low blood pressure)
- Liver failure
(Arch Surg. 2008;134[3]:235-240, 227-233, 242-246, 247-253. Available to the media pre-embargo at www.jamamedia.org).
Editor's Note: Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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JAMA REPORTS
VIDEO: Windows Media | Quicktime
ADVANCES IN GENETIC MEDICINE ARE GREAT BUT SOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE NOT READY TO DELIVER THESE SERVICES
INTRO:
Genetic testing can now help identify more than a thousand genes that increase your risk for a number of chronic and often fatal diseases. Advances in this field continue to expand rapidly. But a new study finds some healthcare workers are not ready to offer these services. Jennifer Mitchell explains in this week’s JAMA Report.
VIDEO:
NAT OPEN
“For me it was a real wake up call.”
B-ROLL
Patient in hospital
Genetic testing in lab
Picture of patient’s mom
Picture Selma in hospital
AUDIO:
SELMA SCHIMMEL WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER IN HER TWENTIES. GENETIC TESTING WOULD LATER REVEAL SHE CARRIED THE B-R-C-A ONE GENE MUTATION PUTTING HER AT GREATER RISK FOR ALSO DEVELOPING OVARIAN CANCER WHICH TOOK HER MOTHER’S LIFE. SO AS A PRECAUTION SHE DECIDED TO HAVE HER OVARIES REMOVED.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Super @ :22
Selma Schimmel
Had Genetic Testing
Runs: 07
AUDIO:
“Much to my shock when I woke from surgery I was told I already had ovarian cancer.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Genetic testing in lab
FULL SCREEN GRAPHIC:
Review of Genetic Medicine (title)
Not enough genetic specialists
Some doctors not ready to refer patients
AUDIO:
GENETIC TESTING CAN NOW HELP IDENTIFY RISK FOR A WIDE RANGE OF DISEASES IN BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS. BUT A RECENT REVIEW OF THE FIELD INDICATES THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH GENETIC SPECIALISTS TO RESPOND TO THE CURRENT NEEDS OF PATIENTS AND SOME DOCTORS DON’T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT GENETIC MEDICINE IN ORDER TO REFER PATIENTS FOR TESTING OR COUNSELING.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Super@:48
Maren Scheuner, M.D., MPH
Medical Geneticist
Runs :11
AUDIO:
“The primary care workforce and other health professionals lack knowledge about basic genetic concepts and they lack confidence in their ability to provide these services.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Researcher walking
Researcher grabs book
Genetic testing in lab
AUDIO:
DR MAREN (MARE-en) SCHEUNER IS A MEDICAL GENETICIST. SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES ANALYZED EIGHT YEARS OF DATA ABOUT GENETIC MEDICINE FOR ADULTS. THEY FOUND MANY QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE NEW GENETIC DISCOVERIES ACTUALLY TRANSLATE INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Maren Scheuner M.D., MPH
Medical Geneticist
Runs:04
AUDIO:
“It’s who delivers it, how we train them, where it’s delivered.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
GFX/JAMA COVER
AUDIO:
THE STUDY APPEARS THIS WEEK IN A THEME ISSUE OF JAMA, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, DEVOTED TO GENETICS AND GENOMICS
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Maren Scheuner M.D.
Medical Geneticist
Runs:07
AUDIO:
“We need to train people to understand how best to provide these services.”
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Selma Schimmel
Had Genetic Testing
Runs :10
AUDIO:
“Without the test I do not think I would have been quite as proactive and I truly believe as do my doctors that that surgery saved my life.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Papers and pan to Selma
Talking to woman
Family picture
Picture of Selma with arm around mom
AUDIO:
SELMA SCHIMMEL IS A SURVIVOR. SHE SAYS AS GENETIC MEDICINE CONTINUES TO ADVANCE SHE WILL CONTINUE HER WORK INFORMING OTHERS ABOUT HOW KNOWING YOUR FAMILY HEALTH HISTORY CAN CHANGE AND OFTEN SAVE YOUR LIFE. JENNIFER MITCHELL THE JAMA REPORT.
TAG:
Researchers say legislation is also needed to protect those who have genetic testing from dealing with privacy and discrimination issues. They also found that most people need more information about the value of genetic testing for common chronic diseases. The research was conducted by the RAND Corporation, a non-profit research and development organization. The study was funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Office of Research and Development. For more information visit www.jama.com.
