All Shetland communities have expressed support for a proposed islands-wide genetic screening project aimed at identifying a faulty gene linked to increased risk of cancers and certain heart conditions.
The same BRCA2 gene variant was found to be present in one in 40 people who have four grandparents from the Isle of Whalsay in Shetland, Scotland (see BioNews 1242), which is known to increase their risk of developing cancer.
The Viking Genes Community Screening Project has received backing from all 18 local community councils. If implemented, the programme would offer screening to residents aged 16 and over, with the aim of detecting elevated genetic risk before symptoms develop and enabling preventative healthcare interventions.
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