Matchmaking Scheme Solves Tay-Sachs Problem

Abstract

A growing body of data suggests that there are important differences in the distribution of occlusive vascular disease in blacks and whites and in men and women" (Stroke 1986;17:648-655).Caplan amplified on this report at an American Heart Association program in Monterey, Calif. He classified people with strokes into three groups, based on the blood vessel, and therefore the brain region, affected. He added a fourth group that he and colleagues suggest provides data in support of their hypothesis.The first group, of which two thirds are men, has blockage or narrowing of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries, secondary to atherosclerosis. These patients also have a high incidence of coronary artery disease.In the second group, lacunar infarcts occur in the brain's deep white matter. The small arteries that supply these re¬ gions are constricted by muscular pro¬ liferation due to hypertension. These patients also have a high incidence of diabetes.The third group has occlusion of the medium-sized arteries that branch within the skull, such as the middle, anterior, and posterior cerebral ar¬ teries. A thrombus from the heart or proximal arterial system in the neck breaks loose and obstructs the vessel.These patients also have a high inci¬ dence of coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.This schema was developed from studies primarily of white patients.When a group of both black and white patients was studied by Caplan and colleagues (Stroke 1985;16:785-790) and by investigators from the National In¬ stitute of Neurological and Communica¬ tive Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Md, a fourth group of patients that differed in race and gender from the other three groups was identified.These patients, primarily black wom¬ en, have narrowing of large arteries in the skull, a low incidence of coronary artery disease, and a high incidence of hypertension and diabetes. This pat¬ tern is also found in Orientals, in women using oral contraceptives, and in preg¬ nant women who experience strokes.

A genetic screening programme for Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis for Australian Jewish high school students

“…Both anonymous couple based (called scheme A) 22 and individual (called scheme B) result report systems developed in the pilot programme 1 were offered to students in 1995 and 1996. From 1997, in response to identified barriers to testing uptake (see Discussion), a further system was developed and offered, called scheme D as it involved "Deferred" reporting of the test result (manuscript submitted).…”

“…At any future time, a subject enrolled in scheme D could contact the testing programme and request to be transferred to either scheme A or B. Those transferring to scheme A were issued with a new PIN suitable for anonymous couple based reporting, 22 while those transferring to scheme B were issued with a report of their results.…”

Tay-Sachs Disease Carrier Screening: A Model for Prevention of Genetic Disease

“…The Dor Yeshorim program serves the ultraorthodox Jewish community (Merz, 1987;Broide et al, 1993), a group that has highly restrictive laws regarding abortion. In this community, marriages are arranged through a shadchen (matchmaker).…”

The potential social impact of predictive genetic testing for susceptibility to common chronic diseases: a review and proposed research agenda

“…Merz (Merz 1987) reports that the system of carrier testing and organised marriage broking has found widespread acceptance amongst a relatively close-knit minority in which arranged marriage was already commonplace. The specific appeal to the members of the community of this system lies in the fact that it allows individual carriers to manage information about themselves (or have it managed for them), while avoiding a situation in which entire families are stigmatised as having 'tainted blood'.…”