GENE MYTHS AT THE DISEASE-MONGERING FRONTIER
It's obvious to many how Big Pharma contributes to overtreatment, overdiagnosis, misleading marketing (i.e., Disease-Mongering). But what about Big Biotech? Case in point: Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing (opens in a new tab). How about sex selection to achieve a "balanced family (opens in a new tab)"? Have you seen the journalistic excitement over "Red Genes and Blue Genes (opens in a new tab)"? These are just a few examples of how new genetic research, commercialization, and journalism promote and misrepresent genetic medicine both current and future. The Center for Genetics and Society (opens in a new tab) will help us illuminate pharmacogenomics and other such mysteries next February at "Selling Sickness, 2013."