Three years ago, a new prenatal test for Down syndrome entered the market offering earlier, safer, and more accurate results. What have we learned about this new technology since then? Continue Reading
March 10, 2014
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening not ready for general population
The recent New England Journal of Medicine study has been reported by the media as meaning non-invasive prenatal screening is ready for the general population. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine disagrees. Continue Reading
March 6, 2014
Webinar on new Down syndrome prenatal testing available now
On Tuesday, Dr. Brian Skotko and I presented a webinar on the new prenatal testing for Down syndrome and resources for support organizations. You can watch it now on-line. Continue Reading
March 3, 2014
3 points about the Illumina Down syndrome prenatal testing study
A study released in February 2014 did lead to non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) being offered to all expectant women. Here's three points about the new study: Continue Reading
September 17, 2013
Why is “being ahead of the curve” a selling point for Verinata’s verifi?
Thursday, Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) laboratory Verinata is hosting a webinar open to the public about its brand of testing, verifi. Verinata's choice in marketing taglines raises serious ethical concerns. Continue Reading
June 14, 2013
It’s not about information; it’s about selling information
Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court ruled that genes cannot be patented. This may not stop competing NIPS labs from trying to enjoin their competitors. But, the ruling reveals a point that gets lost in the celebration of genomics. Continue Reading
April 29, 2013
What price to do prenatal testing right?
The recent Wall Street Journal report by Christopher Weaver on Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) included a number that suggests how much money is in the NIPS market. But what else should that money be going towards? Continue Reading
April 5, 2013
A new age of prenatal testing for Down syndrome: a new name, new policy statements, and recognized resources for patients
On the same day, two major medical professional organizations announced their respective position statements concerning the newest form of prenatal testing for Down syndrome. There is A LOT to analyze, but here are some instant highlights from both. Continue Reading
December 4, 2012
Verinata’s Prenatal Testing Flow Chart: Unethical?
As I’ve mentioned before, on the home page there is a scroll of my twitter feed. Like this blog, I typically tweet about news related to Down syndrome and/or prenatal testing. But, sometimes Twitter’s 140-character limit is not enough to provide a thorough analysis of ethical issues. Verinata is a laboratory that developed its version of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which has the brand name "verifi." Featured on its website is the following decision-making flow chart for prenatal Continue Reading
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