Scores Of People Born Through Artificial Insemination Are Finding Out Their Fathers Are The Doctors Who Performed Procedure
With the growing use of consumer DNA tests, many have been left reeling by the news that the sperm donors that their mothers selected are not their fathers. “You build your whole life on your genetic identity, and that’s the foundation,” said one woman. “But when those bottom bricks have been removed or altered, it can be devastating.” In other public health news: Lyme disease, gene editing, a blood test for Alzheimer's, employee wellness programs and more.
The New York Times:
Their Mothers Chose Donor Sperm. The Doctors Used Their Own.
Growing up in Nacogdoches, Tex., Eve Wiley learned at age 16 that she had been conceived through artificial insemination with donor sperm. Her mother, Margo Williams, now 65, had sought help from Dr. Kim McMorries, telling him that her husband was infertile. She asked the doctor to locate a sperm donor. He told Mrs. Williams that he had found one through a sperm bank in California. Mrs. Williams gave birth to a daughter, Eve. Now 32, Ms. Wiley is a stay-at-home mother in Dallas. In 2017 and 2018, like tens of millions of Americans, she took consumer DNA tests. (Mroz, 8/21)
Stat:
Lyme Disease Vaccine, Antibody Face An Uncertain Market
As the threat of Lyme disease grows and fears surrounding it spread faster than the ticks that carry the infection, researchers are developing two vaccine or vaccine-like approaches to prevent this increasingly problematic disease. But don’t expect to get one soon. They are at least three to five years away from clinical use, according to their developers. That may seem like a long time to wait, especially since there are several Lyme disease vaccines available for dogs. But it’s taken researchers almost two decades to get this close — for the second time. (Flaherty, 8/22)
NPR:
Editing The DNA In Human Sperm With CRISPR Is Goal Of New York Lab
First it was human embryos. Now scientists are trying to develop another way to modify human DNA that can be passed on to future generations, NPR has learned. Reproductive biologists at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City are attempting to use the powerful gene-editing technique called CRISPR to alter genes in human sperm. NPR got exclusive access to watch the controversial experiments underway. (Stein, 8/22)
St. Louis Public Radio:
Wash U Researchers Find Blood Test Can Detect Early Alzheimer's Symptoms
For years, doctors have used an expensive brain scan to detect symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. But researchers at Washington University have found that a simple blood test could be similarly effective, according to a study published this month in the journal Neurology. A blood test to diagnose early symptoms could help make finding a cure easy or cheaper and even guide treatment for the disease in the future, the study’s authors say. (Fentem, 8/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Employee Wellness Programs Grow Quickly, But Their Worth Debated
Most employers are planning to boost spending on wellness programs this year despite the mixed results on their efficacy. More than 80% of employers said they are planning to increase their health and wellness budgets over the next three years, which is up sharply from 61% last year and more than double the 34% who planned to in 2009, according to an annual workplace study from UnitedHealth Group's Optum. (Kacik, 8/21)
Stat:
NIH Study Participants Will Soon Receive Their Own Genetic Analysis
The nearly 200,000 Americans who have trusted federal scientists with their DNA, their medical records, and detailed behavioral surveys will soon begin to receive the results of a genetic analysis performed by the National Institutes of Health, the agency announced Wednesday. The announcement marks a long-touted milestone for the NIH’s unprecedented “All of Us” precision medicine project. To date, researchers say, no government study has returned individualized genetic data to participants — especially one so large and diverse. (Facher, 8/21)
NPR:
Poll: Nearly 1 In 5 Americans Says Pain Often Interferes With Daily Life
At some point nearly everyone has to deal with pain. How do Americans experience and cope with pain that makes everyday life harder? We asked in the latest NPR-IBM Watson Health Poll. First, we wanted to know how often pain interferes with people's ability to work, go to school or engage in other activities. Overall, 18% of Americans say that's often a problem for them. Almost a quarter – 24% — say it's sometimes the case. (Hensley, 8/21)
NPR:
Why Cells In Mouse Brains Fall Short As Models For Human Drug Development
In mice, scientists have used a variety of drugs to treat brain disorders including murine versions of Alzheimer's disease, depression and schizophrenia. But in people, these same treatments usually fail. And now researchers are beginning to understand why. A detailed comparison of the cell types in mouse and human brain tissue found subtle but important differences that could affect the response to many drugs, a team reports Wednesday in the journal Nature. (Hamilton, 8/21)
The New York Times:
Overcoming Fear Of Flying In The Bumpy Skies
Lately, at airport gates and security lines, I’m increasingly hearing other frequent fliers share stories of spilled coffee and sudden drops on planes. Threaded through nearly every conversation are questions about whether there has been an upswing in air turbulence, and whether climate change is to blame. Turbulence was never a concern for Ashwin Fernandes, who takes more than 200 flights per year as regional director to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia for Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, until a bad flight in 2013 left him spooked. (Stearns Bercaw, 8/22)
