Do Genetic Tests Differ Around the World?
More Programs and Publications Featuring Dr. Kyle Riding
In this program:
Are genetic tests one of the lab tests that vary depending on the location in the world? Watch as medical laboratory scientist Dr. Kyle Riding shares the aspects of genetic tests that can differ and the reasoning behind differences.
Transcript
Leo Hesse:
For the sake of our international audience, do genetic tests differ around the world, i.e., is it different from what you guys are doing over in the United States to what we do here in the United Kingdom?
Dr. Kyle Riding:
The beauty of molecular diagnostics is it is a newer science, it is the youngest science in the biomedical laboratory landscape. And because of that, and because it's come up during a time when globalization and international collaboration has been the norm, it is not necessarily like a lot of other specialties where we have variation between countries or regions in the globe. There might be slightly different vernacular around certain genes, but that slightly different vernacular is going to actually be kind of a consensus building process for the international communities coming together to decide what the gene should actually be named. So no, we don't see as much variation in the terminology, the only thing we may see a difference in is the use of the genetic testing and how frequently it is used, and that usage is going to be mainly tied to mainly the wealth of a nation. Unfortunately, at this time, genetic testing as something new and as something that still isn't done as routinely as a CBC or a basic metabolic panel, costs more to do.
Nations and regions of this world that aren't fully resourced like other parts of the globe are, aren't going to see as much of the genetic testing as once here in the United States or Europe or other parts of the more industrialized world.
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