Fighting Tay-Sachs with Genetic Screening
While some people think that Tay-Sachs has been eliminated, babies are still being born with this disease. How is this possible, when genetic testing is so readily available?
While some people think that Tay-Sachs has been eliminated, babies are still being born with this disease. How is this possible, when genetic testing is so readily available?
Getting screened for genetic diseases is not just a good idea. It’s also a Jewish value.
When a Jewish couple is planning their wedding or anticipating starting a family, they probably aren’t thinking much about rare genetic conditions.
How do you deal with a future that you know for sure is going to get worse?
Tammy Rubin wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of getting blood drawn by a phlebotomist. At least there was apple juice — and the prospect of life-changing knowledge — afterward.
Significant advances in science enable us to no longer question what’s in our genes. This is especially important for Jews, who are far more likely to be carriers of genetic diseases than the general population.