Personalised Medicine
Personalised Medicine is a field of preventative genetics that urges individuals to preserve their health by learning about their genetic risk factors earlier in life.
Geneus™ is a genetic screening test that analyses changes, or variants, in your DNA. A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) is a type of variant where a genetic sequence change is present at a specific position in our DNA. The change of a single nucleotide can either have no effect on the protein, or can alter protein structure/function that can lead to downstream changes. Although the majority of the SNPs are harmless, some have been shown to define our likelihood to develop specific traits, conditions, and diseases.
Through blood test, Geneus™ screens your DNA for the presence of 550 SNPs that are known to be associated with over 87 medical conditions. The presence of a SNP in your DNA will not change over the course of your life, making Geneus™ a once in a lifetime screening test.
For each condition or disease for which you carry an associated SNP, Geneus™ will provide you with your approximate risk percentile group; MyGeneus™ Risk.
What medical conditions are screened for with Geneus™?
How is MyGeneus™ risk calculated?
Geneus™ is the first personalized
medicine genetic test to take into account all of the following important
factors when calculating your genetic risk for each SNP which you carry:
1. Homozygous vs. Heterozygous Carrier Status:
Your predisposition to a certain
disease or trait takes into account whether you inherited one copy (heterozygous)
or two copies (homozygous) of the SNP from your parents.
2. Importance of Medical Risk Associated with the
SNP:
Geneus™ considers SNPs that are
associated with the trait or disease and, if possible, takes into account the
odds ratio, the probability of developing the condition if you harbor a
specific SNP.
3. Scientific Literature and Number of Associated
Ethnicities:
Geneus™ considers the number of
scientific reports a SNP has been documented in and the number of ethnicities
it has been linked to.
The development of a specific trait
or health condition is largely dependent on three factors:
• Genetic
• Environmental
• Lifestyle.
The genetic component contributes to a fraction of the risk, meaning the
individual may have a genetic susceptibility to that trait or condition, but
not destined to develop it. While we cannot change our genes, we can alter our
lifestyle and environment to prevent or delay the condition.
MyGeneus™ Risk is classified in the
following risk percentile categories:
Typical: Similar risk compared to an average person
Decreased: Protection from developing a trait, compared to the average person
Low: 1-33% increased risk, compared to the average person
Moderate: 34-67% increased risk, compared to the average person
Elevated: 68-100% increased risk, compared to the average person
Where can I get testing?
If you are interested in completing Personalized Medicine, contact Viafet and we will guide you on what to do next.
If at any time during your journey you have questions or would like to speak with a Genetic Counselor, contact Viafet and we will schedule an appointment immediately.
