阅读理解
It
took 13 years of international effort to map the human biological blueprint of
all the genes (基因) that
make us different people. The first rough draft (草图)
made in 2000. The last of our 23 chromosomes (染色体) was
clearly described in 2006. Ever since then, the age of personal genetic testing
has been upon us. Since that time, a growing number of private companies have
come on the market mostly through the Internet, offering to scan your personal
DNA and compare it to some disease markets of the blueprint, called DTC genetic
tests.
But
over the last five years the medical world has been discussing excitedly about
whether these DTC tests are helpful or harmful, scientifically believable or
completely useless. One of the usual criticisms (批评) is that the science is so new that no one really knows yet how to
explain the information.
"At
present they largely remain in the period of research studies," notes Dr.
Greg Ferro, special advisor to the director of genomic medicine at the US
National Human Genome Research Institute. Ferro says there are two reasons."
The first is that when they offer a test, are they really checking what they
should check? And then the next is that even if it is believable, does what the
test is checking really mean anything to your health?"
Other
worries include the privacy of the results and how your personal genetic
information might be used by insurance (保险) companies to refuse your insurance or your boss to dismiss you. Or
you could learn information with a huge social or personal impact (冲击), such as finding out that genetically you cannot possibly be the
father of your child. It can also give you risks that may break your life, such
as whether you are at high risk of cancer, Parkinson or other terrible
diseases.
Criticisms
over the tests are such that some countries, such as Germany, have banned them.
In 2011, some scientists advised the US government that most tests should be
done under the guidance of medical professionals (专家). The UK government also expressed its
worries about DTC genetic tests and in August 2010 made a set of rules to guide
the development of genetic tests.
In
2011, three medical researchers published a review article in the International Journal of Clinical
Practice, saying that such tests offered more risks than benefits. The most
important reason is that the tests might create worries or unreal results or
drive unnecessary medical treatments. They also noted some of the genetic
information the tests are based on at present is far from being perfect.
