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‘All of Us’: Big U.S. Genetics Study Is Already Helping Participants

More than 155,000 people who have taken part in a massive genetic study orchestrated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have already gotten something in return — personalized DNA results that tell them whether they have an increased risk for certain health conditions. Called “All of Us,” the study aims to eventually include at least 1 million people, in an effort to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

“Knowledge is powerful. By returning health-related DNA information to participants, we are changing the research paradigm, turning it into a two-way street — fueling both scientific and personal discovery that could help individuals navigate their own health,” said Dr. Josh Denny, chief executive officer of the All of Us Research Program.
“This type of partnership with our participants is crucial for building trust and fulfilling the commitment we made to drive research that can offer meaningful insights for all,” Denny said in an NIH news release. “I kind of shudder to think about what could happen if I hadn’t known this,” Rachele Peterson, an NIH employee who participated in the study, told the Associated Press.
The Philadelphia woman was told she was at an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer because she carries the BRCA-2 gene. Peterson, who recently became the project’s chief of staff, said the knowledge “allows you to take charge,” and added that she plans to discuss options with her doctor such as increased breast cancer screening or whether to remove her ovaries as a precaution.

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