3 ms·

It’s quick and free to identify someone’s race. A genetic test takes several days and costs a few hundred dollars. The patient wants the best treatment right

by sjducb 1y ago

It’s quick and free to identify someone’s race. A genetic test takes several days and costs a few hundred dollars. The patient wants the best treatment right now. If race carries useful information that helps the doctor treat the patient, then the doctor should have access to it.

achierius 1y ago
Is it? What race is someone who's Arab? What about someone who could look black with one haircut but white with another? What about half-Arab, half-Euro? This might sound like nitpicking, but most black people in the US have significant European ancestry and the admixture can vary wildly even for people with similar skin tones. Our naive view of "race" is not always backed by genetic reality.
- dragonwriter 1y ago
  > Is it? Yes, you give them the list and say "What is your race/ethnicity, you may select at least one and as many as you wish." They answer. You are done. > What race is someone who's Arab? Whatever they answer (Middle East or Northern African [MENA], under the 2024 revision to the categories, intuitively seems most likely.) > What about someone who could look black with one haircut but white with another? Again, whatever they answer. > What about half-Arab, half-Euro? Again, whatever they answer. Though the most obvious guess of what they might answer, given the premise, would be one of White, MENA, or both. The part to question is not, "is it quick and free to determine race" but "does race carry useful information that helps the doctor treat the patient", which is a much thornier question.
  - david-gpu 1y ago
    > Yes, you give them the list and say "What is your race/ethnicity, you may select at least one and as many as you wish." They answer. You are done. While I broadly agree with you, there have been notable controversies around people who self-identified as having a particular ancestry [0] that didn't match how other people classified them. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal
bryanlarsen 1y ago
> If race carries useful information. It's pretty low quality information. If you're taking a genetic test you want something that returns susceptibility to sickle cell amenia, cystic fibrosis, tay-sachs, et cetera. Race is a very low quality signal that is used when you lack something better, like a genetic test.
malcolmgreaves 1y ago
There are zero genetic markers for race. This is because race is purely a social construct.

by sjducb 1y ago

achierius 1y ago

Is it? What race is someone who's Arab? What about someone who could look black with one haircut but white with another? What about half-Arab, half-Euro? This might sound like nitpicking, but most black people in the US have significant European ancestry and the admixture can vary wildly even for people with similar skin tones. Our naive view of "race" is not always backed by genetic reality.

dragonwriter 1y ago
> Is it? Yes, you give them the list and say "What is your race/ethnicity, you may select at least one and as many as you wish." They answer. You are done. > What race is someone who's Arab? Whatever they answer (Middle East or Northern African [MENA], under the 2024 revision to the categories, intuitively seems most likely.) > What about someone who could look black with one haircut but white with another? Again, whatever they answer. > What about half-Arab, half-Euro? Again, whatever they answer. Though the most obvious guess of what they might answer, given the premise, would be one of White, MENA, or both. The part to question is not, "is it quick and free to determine race" but "does race carry useful information that helps the doctor treat the patient", which is a much thornier question.
- david-gpu 1y ago
  > Yes, you give them the list and say "What is your race/ethnicity, you may select at least one and as many as you wish." They answer. You are done. While I broadly agree with you, there have been notable controversies around people who self-identified as having a particular ancestry [0] that didn't match how other people classified them. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal

bryanlarsen 1y ago

> If race carries useful information. It's pretty low quality information. If you're taking a genetic test you want something that returns susceptibility to sickle cell amenia, cystic fibrosis, tay-sachs, et cetera. Race is a very low quality signal that is used when you lack something better, like a genetic test.

malcolmgreaves 1y ago

There are zero genetic markers for race. This is because race is purely a social construct.