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Reading Genes for Disease, Part 4: Dilemmas

Tests that can reveal a person's risk of a disease are an advance of modern medicine. But they are also perceived as a double-edged sword: The ability to diagnose a disease or to predict its arrival has outstripped the ability to treat it.

In the conclusion of a four-part series on genetic testing, NPR's Linda Wertheimer talks with NPR's Joe Palca about the various dilemmas the medical tests pose: from personal choices to the reactions of insurance companies and employers.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Joe Palca is a science correspondent for NPR. Since joining NPR in 1992, Palca has covered a range of science topics — everything from biomedical research to astronomy. He is currently focused on the eponymous series, "Joe's Big Idea." Stories in the series explore the minds and motivations of scientists and inventors. Palca is also the founder of NPR Scicommers – A science communication collective.
As NPR's senior national correspondent, Linda Wertheimer travels the country and the globe for NPR News, bringing her unique insights and wealth of experience to bear on the day's top news stories.