WHEN Genetic Technologies announced to the stock exchange that it was making a "gift to Australia", it was accompanied by applause and dancing in the streets.
Much of this applause came from women as this gift was a potentially lifesaving test used in screening for the genes that can cause breast cancer.
Despite having the exclusive right to conduct the tests in Australia and New Zealand, Genetic Technologies said it would not attempt to stop health providers such as public hospitals from conducting the tests free of charge.
The genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, have been detected in up to 10 per cent of breast cancers and women with the BRCA genes can be from 40 to 85 per cent more likely to get the disease than those without it.
|
|
Read more...
|