Letters
Indigenous health Ethics Genetics
Volume 197 - Issue 7

Genetic research in Indigenous health: significant progress, substantial challenges

Authors:  Gail Garvey and Christina M Bernardes

Med J Aust 2012; 197 (7): 383-384. || doi: 10.5694/mja12.11075
Published online: 1 October 2012
To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Kowal about genetic research in Indigenous health.1 As stated, this topic is extremely sensitive, but it is one that we must now tackle. The article raises a related issue that has not received any attention: the provision of genetic health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We should not presume that Aboriginal and Torres ...
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To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Kowal about genetic research in Indigenous health.1 As stated, this topic is extremely sensitive, but it is one that we must now tackle. The article raises a related issue that has not received any attention: the provision of genetic health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We should not presume that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not interested in genetics or finding out more about their illness or disease. In our research (unpublished) on the supportive care needs of 221 Indigenous cancer patients in Queensland, we found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer are very interested in knowing more. Preliminary results show that 55% of participants (122 patients) would like to speak to a specialist doctor about the risk of cancer in their family, and over 68% of participants (151 patients) are concerned about other family members getting cancer.

Indeed, in the area of cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, much can be gained through genetic research; in particular, identifying an individual’s genetic risk of cancer. Given that the standardised mortality rate for all cancers combined is around 1.5 times higher for Indigenous Australians than that for non-Indigenous Australians,2 identifying patients’ genetic predisposition to cancer may help them and their doctors in making decisions about treatment.3

We need to move forward cautiously and ensure that appropriate guidelines are in place, but most importantly, we need to embrace these powerful research tools for the benefit of improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.

View this article on Wiley Online Library