4 Million for Education

Today I am shooting from the hip. Normally you guys can figure that one out from my posts, but today it is coming fast and furious.

Issue Number One:
"Will predisposition testing result in adverse selection for long term care insurance?"
So what happens when that Navigenics test (sorry, they don't test, the do the medical interpretation) says you are at risk for Alzheimers? Take a look at this report???? It looks as if the magic 8 ball says....."It is likely"

How do we solve this problem? How about long term care insurance mandates like the health care mandate in Mass? Try again.....How about genetic testing as a requirement to get insurance? GINA doesn't prevent that.........Unfortunately. I have a serious idea.....The big risk that these people think may happen usually manifests in the face of family history....Why don't insurers just do a better job of taking family histories? For my big life insurance policy, they just asked about my mom and dad(Who I haven't seen since I was 13).....what kind of risk stratification is that??? More importantly, why shouldn't insurers be able to risk stratify?

Issue Number Two:
Why aren't we starting to see the public asking for pharmacogenetic tests? You would figure, this would be the biggest demand from our overmedicated society? If you are taking drugs, do they work for you? Do they make you ill? It looks like labs will be offering these tests....But are they selling them? Are physicians ordering them???? No.....Why? Education and Fear. Adult learners require not only education, but also need emotional buy in and clinical application......These are the keys. Even the guys at Frost & Sullivan have shown this.

This is the huge market. The problem......for each fantastic report, there are bad reviews....The problem, meta-analyses are suspect and can be spun.....but often do not perfectly analyze the data. But, most docs don't pay attention to that.....What they do pay attention to is a lawsuit. So why have we not started to see these suits????? There has certainly been a lot o talk about these...

Issue Number Three:
Why are businesses and VC funding suspect genetic testing when they could be promoting the health of the public by supporting clinically actionable testing and services??? Well, at least most VC, Angels and Businesses have been showing a track record of bogus testing support. I think this is because there is a lack of genetics education for these business people. If they employed solid clinicians who have experience in this field, we could see some really amazing things come to fruition. I have a feeling this will start to shape up shortly......

The Gene Sherpa Says:
Think on these things. I have been thinking about these things for quite some time. Send me some of your thoughts....and as always......email me to start a discussion.