Would You Want to Know if You Were Going to Get Alzheimer's?

Recently, researchers presented information about a blood test that was able to fairly accurately predict if someone would develop Alzheimer's disease in the next two to three years. The test measures levels of lipids in a person's blood and was approximately 90% accurate in its predictions. If this test is further developed and repeated with accurate results, some day it could be easily available for the public to use. While this is a step forward for researchers, we need to consider the ramifications of such as test, before it is available. First, there are personal preferences. Some people are planners and like to organize things ahead of time, while others like to enjoy each day for what it is, without worry of future problems. Second, in addition to how different personalities may handle this type of news, there's also the question of how insurance companies, health care providers, employers and others may respond. I've laid out some more thoughts on this issue here: The Pros and Cons of a Predictive Alzheimer's TestWould You Want to Know if You Were Going to Get Alzheimer's? originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Sunday, May 25th, 2014 at 14:52:01.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news