Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race
Abstract Background Recent studies have reignited the tinderbox of debate surrounding the use of race and ancestry in medicine. These controversial studies have argued for a strong correlation between genetic ancestry and race, justifying continued use of genetic ancestry measures in studies of dise...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Human Genomics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40246-022-00391-2 |
| _version_ | 1828149632952172544 |
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| author | Jessica P. Cerdeña Vanessa Grubbs Amy L. Non |
| author_facet | Jessica P. Cerdeña Vanessa Grubbs Amy L. Non |
| author_sort | Jessica P. Cerdeña |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Recent studies have reignited the tinderbox of debate surrounding the use of race and ancestry in medicine. These controversial studies have argued for a strong correlation between genetic ancestry and race, justifying continued use of genetic ancestry measures in studies of disease. These studies contend that increased use of continental ancestry estimates can inform clinical risk assessments and management. Further, recent studies of racial corrections used in clinical algorithms, such as those used to estimate 'normal' lung function, also advocate for use of genetic ancestry in place of race for refining risk algorithms. Main body These positions are misleading, harmful, and reflect superficial interpretations of population genetics. In this Perspective, we argue that continental genetic ancestry, often proxied by race, serves as a poor indicator of disease risk, and reinforces racialized inequities. Conclusion Instead, we endorse that racial disparities in disease should be investigated by rigorous measures of structural racism alongside careful measures of genetic factors in relevant disease pathways, rather than relying on genetic ancestry or race as a crude proxy for disease-causing alleles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:32:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-454a48423881440290769679af99f931 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-7364 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:32:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Genomics |
| spelling | doaj.art-454a48423881440290769679af99f9312022-12-22T04:01:54ZengBMCHuman Genomics1479-73642022-05-011611510.1186/s40246-022-00391-2Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and raceJessica P. Cerdeña0Vanessa Grubbs1Amy L. Non2Yale School of MedicineDepartment of Ambulatory and Preventive Medicine, Alameda Health SystemDepartment of Anthropology, University of California San DiegoAbstract Background Recent studies have reignited the tinderbox of debate surrounding the use of race and ancestry in medicine. These controversial studies have argued for a strong correlation between genetic ancestry and race, justifying continued use of genetic ancestry measures in studies of disease. These studies contend that increased use of continental ancestry estimates can inform clinical risk assessments and management. Further, recent studies of racial corrections used in clinical algorithms, such as those used to estimate 'normal' lung function, also advocate for use of genetic ancestry in place of race for refining risk algorithms. Main body These positions are misleading, harmful, and reflect superficial interpretations of population genetics. In this Perspective, we argue that continental genetic ancestry, often proxied by race, serves as a poor indicator of disease risk, and reinforces racialized inequities. Conclusion Instead, we endorse that racial disparities in disease should be investigated by rigorous measures of structural racism alongside careful measures of genetic factors in relevant disease pathways, rather than relying on genetic ancestry or race as a crude proxy for disease-causing alleles.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40246-022-00391-2Genetic ancestryRaceDisease-causing allelesStructural racism |
| spellingShingle | Jessica P. Cerdeña Vanessa Grubbs Amy L. Non Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race Human Genomics Genetic ancestry Race Disease-causing alleles Structural racism |
| title | Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| title_full | Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| title_fullStr | Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| title_short | Genomic supremacy: the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| title_sort | genomic supremacy the harm of conflating genetic ancestry and race |
| topic | Genetic ancestry Race Disease-causing alleles Structural racism |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40246-022-00391-2 |
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