Many people think about health care only when a problem feels urgent. A sore throat, a sudden rash, or pain can push someone to seek care right away. Long-term health often improves when care starts earlier, before symptoms appear or before a risk becomes a crisis.
That balance is why we are sharing information about In Our DNA SC, a community health research project run by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). We are helping patients connect to this program because it supports prevention and early awareness. MUSC manages enrollment, testing, results, and counseling. Our role is to share the option and help patients take the next step if they choose to participate.
What In Our DNA SC Is
In Our DNA SC launched in 2021 through a collaboration between MUSC and Helix, a population genomics company. The program offers eligible adults a no-cost genetic health screening. The screening focuses on inherited risk for three conditions:
- Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, commonly linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2
- Lynch syndrome, also called hereditary colorectal cancer
- Familial hypercholesterolemia, also called genetic high cholesterol
In an MUSC update dated August 6, 2024, the program reported more than 50,000 participants and a goal of enrolling 100,000 people statewide.
Family history and standard screening do not always identify inherited risk. This program uses population screening to help more people learn about risk earlier.
Why We Support Prevention and Early Detection
We help patients with urgent needs, and we also provide primary care. Many patients want one place for both. A patient may need help today with a sudden issue. A patient may also want an ongoing relationship with a primary care provider who knows their history and tracks health over time.
Prevention fits into that long-term plan. Prevention can include early screening, risk awareness, and follow-up care when it makes sense. Genetic screening does not replace routine care. It does not replace regular checkups, recommended cancer screening, or cholesterol testing. It can add one more data point to review with a qualified clinician.
Who Can Join and What to Expect
Adults age 18 and older may be eligible at no cost. A person is not eligible if the person has a history of allogeneic bone marrow and or stem cell transplants.
The process is designed to be simple:
- A participant signs up online and completes an electronic consent form.
- A participant provides a saliva sample.
- Helix analyzes the sample as the partner lab.
- Results go to the participant’s electronic medical record and may also be available in an optional Helix account.
Most people receive negative results for the conditions in the screen. If results show increased risk based on a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant, the program team contacts the participant and offers a no-cost genetic counseling appointment. According to MUSC, any additional clinical follow up beyond counseling is not covered by the study.
The Research Side of the Program
In Our DNA SC will develop a secure and privacy-protected genetic and research database. Participants can withdraw and stop sharing information.
You can read the official program details and eligibility information here: https://www.musc.edu/community/in-our-dna-sc
To learn more about our approach to preventative care click here.
