From Early October, Jnetics, a charity dedicated to the management and prevention of Jewish Genetic Disorders, will increase its testing panel from nine to 47 conditions.
Nicole Gordon CEO EXPLAINED, “This is a hugely exciting development in the history of Jnetics. The panel has been increased to include further conditions prevalent in the Ashkenazi community, and for the first time we have a number of conditions prevalent in the Sephardi and Mizrahi communities “ We are now encouraging any young Jewish adults with at least one Jewish grandparent to come forward and be tested “
“The additional conditions have been carefully selected based on a number of inclusion criteria and under the guidance of Jnetic’s Scientific and Medical advisory committee. All the genetic conditions are recessive , Guila Vaz Mouyal Research and Development Manager, explained, meaning that there is only a 1 in 4 chance of having an affected child if both parents carry the faulty gene. Carriers of the faulty gene are NOT affected.
The test itself is a simple spit test, which since the onset of Covid, is carried out in a totally virtual way, via 5 simple steps. Jnetics works in conjunction with the NHS, ensuring that if a couple are both found to be carriers of the same genetic conditions, they can be streamlined into the NHS system.
Jnetics currently screens Year 12 students in all 9 Jewish secondary schools across the country, Jewish students at a UK university and through the Jnetics clinic where young couples thinking about starting a family are encouraged to get tested, For further information on where and how to get tested please visit www.jnetics.org/screening.
“Currently, so many health issues are beyond our control. Screening for Jewish Genetic Disorders and managing the risk of having a child with one of the severe life threatening and or life shortening genetic disorders that we screen for is not “- Nicole Gordon , CEO concluded