Professor Johnson publishes study on public attitudes towards the use of Genetic Risk Scores

Genetic risk scores are increasingly being used in health care settings, but scholars, policy makers, and the general public are increasingly concerned that genetic information could be used in other non-medical settings to make decisions--such as insurance providers, schools, or financial institutions. In a new study, Assistant Professor of Quantitative Social Science Rebecca Johnson and colleagues examined public attitudes towards the use of genetic information in non-medical settings. The authors find that while the general public firmly believes that people should not be judged by their genetic make-up, the public does believe that institutions should be able to use genetic information to make decisions in non-medical settings, though support varies depending upon the situation. For more information, and to access the study, click here.