Embryo‑selection risk claims often rely on the liability‑threshold model, which turns continuous traits into yes/no diseases. Small score‑driven shifts can push many people just below a cutoff, producing impressive relative 'risk reductions' that hide minimal real‑world change. For traits like obesity or type 2 diabetes, this can make modest phenotypic shifts look like dramatic cures.
— This challenges how genetic services are marketed and regulated, urging clearer communication and standards so consumers and policymakers aren’t misled by dichotomy‑driven statistics.
2025.10.07
100% relevant
The article’s BMI example: selection moves expected offspring from mean 41 to 40 (tiny change) yet yields a headline '50% risk reduction' for class III obesity due to the cutoff.
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