genetic testing

1. A process in which a person's or an embryo's DNA is isolated and tested for the presence of specific genes or defects that could indicate the future onset of some disease.

In the United States, genetic testing is most often performed on alert prospective parents for possible problems during a pregnancy or the likelihood of congenital disease in a future child. The privacy of the results is one of the many difficult issues with this practice, particularly as it relates to insurance underwriting.

Example Sentences

After years of deliberating, Liv decided to start the process of genetic testing at Birmingham Women's Hospital in January 2024, in the hope of finding out if she had inherited the same gene that caused her mum's dementia.

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"Getting good access to neurological services and genetic testing is really important to push this forward," he added.

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"Perhaps it is the access to genetic testing has improved. It could also be that people are more aware of the condition," she said.

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Its president Lord Coe has admitted the time frame has been "tight", and that there has been "added complexity" because genetic testing for non-medical reasons is outlawed in some countries, such as France and Norway, so some athletes have had to give samples overseas.

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She said evidence showed almost a third of side effects to medicines could be prevented with genetic testing.

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