Study of hereditary deafness: A new service from IB Biotech
23-09-2010
This new service is especially useful for children as it provides early detection of deafness and thus the implementation of appropriate treatments at an early age.
IB Biotech, the genetic services arm of the Instituto Bernabeu Group, has expanded its portfolio of patient services with the detection of genetic deafness. Thus, people affected by deafness can detect if the source is genetic and if this is the case and they so desire, avoid passing it on to any future offspring.
The process is carried out privately and in comfort using the latest technology while respecting the freedom of the patient”. In addition, “it’s especially good for children, which means early detection and the taking of appropriate steps dependending on that particular source,” explains Dr Belén Lledó, Head of the Department of Biology at IB Biotech. “It’s important to have genetic studies completed when deciding to have children. If we know the genetic cause then we can predict the likelihood that any offspring will also suffer from deafness.”
A genetic study of deafness “is hard to approach. Each patient is a case on its own and the study depends on individual family history. Each patient has a study tailored to them.”
By offering patients this study, it “would represent a basis and a justification of their deafness and could avoid their transmitting it to their offspring.” This would be achieved through the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) technique.