South African Surge in DNA Testing for Disease Prevention

With an ever-increasing awareness of personal health, South Africans are actively seeking DNA testing as a preventative measure against potential hereditary diseases. In the ongoing fight against numerous health conditions, many argue that information regarding genetic predispositions towards certain diseases may provide opportunities for a proactive approach.

Dr. Danny Meyersfeld, CEO of Johannesburg-based genetic testing laboratory, DNAlysis Biotechnology, has seen a notable increase in global uptake of such services in recent years. Dr. Dhesan Moodley, a specialist in functional and anti-ageing medicine in Johannesburg, upholds the DNA testing method and holds that these tests are valuable in seeking genetic anomalies that could indicate predispositions to specific illnesses.

While traditional expressions like "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" echo past recognition of health conditions recurring in families, modern medical science now offers the opportunity to map these genetic patterns, providing the potential for preventative lifestyle interventions.

DNA tests offer a comprehensive evaluation of health risks, even aiding in the diagnosis of mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. Highlighting the need for preventative health measures, Meyersfeld asserts these tests can help discern personal health risks and what can be done to mitigate them.

Dr. Moodley specifies the testing process, explaining an individual needs to visit a certified healthcare professional well versed in DNA studies to interpret their results, allowing for a detailed understanding of the implication and preventative measures that could be taken.

As more South Africans turn to this service, it offers potential cost-saving benefits, decreasing length of treatment time, enabling early detection of diseases, and minimising unnecessary medical procedures and trial-and-error methods seen in traditional medicine.

Companies such as DNAlysis and Geneway offer extensive testing capabilities covering diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to lupus and tests for genetic variants involved in physiological processes linked to lifestyle diseases.