Category Archives: Genetic Medicine

Several tests are now available that can analyse fetal DNA present in a pregnant woman's blood.

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Genetic tests that analyse fetal DNA from a pregnant woman's blood are arriving in a rush, giving parents powerful tools for gleaning information about their unborn offspring. Three companies have launched versions of such tests in the past 12 months, and a fourth plans to do so later this year.

But the commercialization of these tests has brought a legal battle that could not only affect corporate profits, but also limit which patients will be able to access the tests and under what terms. The tangle of lawsuits may also offer a taste of future conflicts in the rapidly growing medical-genomics industry.

If a single company has a monopoly on the market, it will essentially be able to dictate the standard of care and the quality of care, says Mildred Cho, a bioethicist at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California.

The four firms are all based in California Sequenom in San Diego, Ariosa Diagnostics in San Jose, and Verinata Health and Natera, both in Redwood City and use similar techniques to identify fetal DNA in maternal blood samples. The tests can spot genetic abnormalities, such as those that cause Down's syndrome, as early as ten weeks after conception several weeks sooner than tests already in use. In studies of women at high risk of carrying offspring with Down's syndrome, the tests also produced fewer false positives.

Patents are at the core of the conflict (see 'Blood feuds'). Sequenom licensed the method for detection of cell-free fetal DNA in a mother's bloodstream in 2005, and it now says that other companies are infringing this patent.

A spate of prenatal DNA tests has brought with it a host of legal disputes.

14 OCTOBER 2005

Sequenom licenses a patent for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.

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Fetal tests spur legal battle

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A -- a compound bearing similarities to the hormone estrogen, which is found in a lot of plastics -- meant lasting genetic changes for female mice when they reached puberty, according to new research that reinforces concerns about the link between BPA and female reproductive disorders.

Yale University School of Medicine researchers presented the data Tuesday at a meeting of The Endocrine Society in Houston, Texas. The research has not yet appeared in a peer-reviewed journal.

Before the mice reached puberty, the Yale team didn't see much difference in the gene expression patterns of BPA-exposed mice and control mice.

But after the mice reached puberty, BPA-exposed mice showed alterations in how much of a gene's product was produced for 365 separate genes. In 208 of those genes, the researchers saw unusual patterns of DNA methylation - a chemical process that regulates how the gene is expressed. Of those 208 genes, at least 14 are known to play roles in the mouse's response to estrogen.

Other studies have linked BPA's estrogen-like characteristic to breast cancer and other disorders with roots in abnormal sensitivity to estrogen, according to the researchers.

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Many major manufacturers have already stopped using BPA in the production of baby bottles and other products, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is working to develop BPA alternatives for the linings of infant formula cans.

"BPA exposure in utero appears to program uterine estrogen responsiveness in adulthood," lead author Hugh Taylor said in a statement. "Pregnant women should minimize BPA exposure."

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BPA Exposure Alters Genetic Patterns In Pubescent Mice: Study

Brian Wellss job is to make big data and technology issues disappear for the researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine. He is building the technical infrastructure needed to achieve the goals of personalized medicine regarding biobanking and genetic sequencing. This associate chief information officer for Health Technology and Academic Computing at Penn Medicine recently spoke with MedCity News about some new developments at Penn including his thoughts on the challenge of sharing electronic medical records.

What have been some of the unforeseen consequences of the growth of information technology in healthcare?

There will be increasing desire to provide access to all that information the problem is we dont have unified standards for access. So the exchange of real data discretely is very difficult today.

What we call a white blood cell count at Penn is probably different than what Geisinger calls it and thats just one lab test. The exchange and utilization of data that can be acted on electronically is pretty constrained. We have many ways to record information, but not as many common ways to share information.

For example, there may be as many as 10 coding systems. LOINC is the industry standard for lab tests. In the world of drugs there are three to four different systems. For diagnoses, a 70-fold explosion in the world of codes is on the horizon. Were about to shift from ICD-09 to ICD-10 (the coding system tied to reimbursement).

What have been some of the biggest challenges faced in implementing EMR to meet Meaningful Use criteria?

We are in very good shape for stage 1. Stage 2 is a little more difficult. CMS will want us to be able to exchange data with other hospitals without the same software. And it must be a facility that has at least 10 percent of our patients. That may be daunting for a tertiary care facility like Penn.

What about personal health records?

The whole personal health record industry came and went and failed because patients are busy. Its a lot of work to constantly update a PHR. The concept of a tethered PHR in which records are linked and tethered to Penn (such as mypennmedicine.org) is having more success in the industry.

And the new standard the FCC has just announced, Medical Body Area Networks, or MBAN, will allow devices to transmit data without wires. Its a protected bandwidth the FCC will preserve and Im sure vendors are jumping on that technology and will make it easier and more reliable to transmit that data.

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Penn Medicine HIT expert: Patient expectations ahead of current EHR capabilities

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Pathway Genomics Corporation, a San Diego-based genetic testing laboratory, has partnered with Diagnsticos da Amrica (DASA), the largest private medical diagnostics company in Latin America and the fourth largest provider of diagnostic services in the world. Based in Brazil, DASAs clinical analysis division collects samples from more than 500 patient service centers and has 11 central laboratories. DASAs brands include Alta Excelncia Diagnstica, Delboni Auriemo, Lavoisier, CDPI, Srgio Franco, Pasteur, Exame and others. Through this partnership, physicians have access to Pathways valuable genetic testing services, bringing additional personalized care to more than 180 million people in Brazil.

Pathways vision is to responsibly reveal personalized and actionable genetic information in order to globally educate, inform and improve health and well-being, said Dr. Michael Nova, Pathways chief medical officer. Our alignment with DASA is a major part of this vision, and we are excited to help bring this scientifically-advanced technology to the people of Brazil.

Specifically, through DASA, physicians in Brazil now have access to multiple genetic tests, including:

The partnership between DASA and Pathway represents a milestone in Brazilian medicine, ensuring access to predictive genetic tests through an advanced and innovative technology, said Dr. Octvio Fernandes, DASAs chief operating officer. DASA is a reference in Brazil due to our excellence, innovation and quality in medical diagnostic services. With 50 years of expertise, the company has one of the largest medical teams in Latin America, composed of nearly 2,000 world-renowned doctors, and offering more than 3,000 types of laboratory tests and imaging diagnostics provided by more than 18,000 professionals.

Pathways laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and accredited in accordance with the U.S. Health and Human Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988. Pathway is also a member of the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA). The company consists of more than 40 scientific and medical professionals, including medical doctors, molecular geneticists, and genetic counselors, as well as an expert scientific advisory board.

About Pathway Genomics Corporation

Pathway Genomics owns and operates an on-site genetic testing laboratory that is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), accredited in accordance with the U.S. Health and Human Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988, and licensed by the state of California. Using only a saliva sample, the company incorporates customized and scientifically validated technologies to generate personalized reports, which address a variety of medical issues, including an individuals carrier status for recessive genetic conditions, food metabolism and exercise response, prescription drug response, and propensity to develop certain diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. For more information about Pathway Genomics, visit http://www.pathway.com.

About DASA

DASA is the largest private medical diagnostics company in Latin America offering a portfolio of over 3,000 clinical analysis and imaging tests. In the clinical analysis segment, samples are collected in more than 500 patient service centers and analyzed in 11 central laboratories. In the diagnostic imaging segment, the images are submitted to physicians for analysis and reporting according to their medical specialty. For more information about DASA, visit http://www.dasa.com.br.

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Pathway Genomics Partners with DASA, the Largest Private Medical Diagnostics Company in Brazil

23-06-2012 23:23 Dr Rima Laibow Speaks on Codex Alimentarius Global Eugenics -- Using Medicine To Kill' is a feature length documentary using a collaboration of various materials. It covers topics such as the swine flu, vaccines and vaccinations, quarantine, water, depopulation, eugenics, Monsanto, gm seeds, Agenda 21, and Codex Alimentarius. In 2008, BA Brooks, a director specialized in meanwhile at The New York Film Academy in the creation of digital movies, launched his first exclusive documentary created with videos downloaded from YouTube, a technique that was used successfully in the documentary at hand, Global EUGENlCS -- Using Medicine to Kill, from 2009, which in over two hours of footage, he could afford to treat a wide range of topics: the avian flu and swine and their possible genetic manipulation, the vaccines and the aggressive vaccination campaigns, the origins of AIDS / HIV , martial law, medical news, water, GD Searle and genetically modified food, Agenda 21 -- the imposition of "sustainable development", HR 875 -- the legislation enforcement of the Codex Alimentarius in the US and others, all of which can be grouped under a single logo -- eugenic politics.

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Dr Rima Laibow 4/4 Speaks on Codex Alimentarius - Video

23-06-2012 23:23 Dr Rima Laibow Speaks on Codex Alimentarius Global Eugenics -- Using Medicine To Kill' is a feature length documentary using a collaboration of various materials. It covers topics such as the swine flu, vaccines and vaccinations, quarantine, water, depopulation, eugenics, Monsanto, gm seeds, Agenda 21, and Codex Alimentarius. In 2008, BA Brooks, a director specialized in meanwhile at The New York Film Academy in the creation of digital movies, launched his first exclusive documentary created with videos downloaded from YouTube, a technique that was used successfully in the documentary at hand, Global EUGENlCS -- Using Medicine to Kill, from 2009, which in over two hours of footage, he could afford to treat a wide range of topics: the avian flu and swine and their possible genetic manipulation, the vaccines and the aggressive vaccination campaigns, the origins of AIDS / HIV , martial law, medical news, water, GD Searle and genetically modified food, Agenda 21 -- the imposition of "sustainable development", HR 875 -- the legislation enforcement of the Codex Alimentarius in the US and others, all of which can be grouped under a single logo -- eugenic politics.

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Dr Rima Laibow 3/4 Speaks on Codex Alimentarius - Video