The Dilemmas We Face
Genetic Testing: How Much Do We Really Want to Know?
Journalist Robert Krulwich moderates a discussion about genetic testing with Dr. Francis Collins, who was Director of the National Center for Human Genome Research at the time and the former Director of the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Nancy Wexler, President of the Hereditary Disease Foundation and the Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Wexler led a team of researchers, including Dr. Collins, who discovered the gene that causes Huntington’s Disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Collins discusses the obligations and complexities that come with working with patients who are receiving genetic counseling, including dealing with the outcomes of their testing. Dr. Wexler, whose own family has a history of Huntington’s disease, discusses the weight that genetic testing holds for those who are diagnosed or have family with incurable diseases. The discussion concludes with audience questions.cussion concludes with audience questions.
Did you know that donations cover nearly half of our costs?
As a nonprofit community and cultural center, The 92nd Street Y, New York relies on support from people like you. Your donation today helps us continue connecting you to the programs you love, no matter where in the world you are.
Sign up for access
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, view our
privacy policy.
© 2024 The Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association
All Rights Reserved.
All material accessed via the 92NY website (“content”) is protected by copyright under U.S. Copyright laws and is the property of The Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association or the party credited as the provider of the content. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any such content, nor may you distribute any part of this content over any network, including a local area network, sell or offer it for sale, or use such content to construct any kind of database. You may not alter or remove any copyright or other notice from copies of the content accessed via 92NY’s website. Copying or storing any content except as provided above is expressly prohibited without prior written permission of 92NY or the copyright holder identified in the individual content’s copyright notice.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this collection do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.