Genetic testing program comes to Lincoln to collect more diverse data

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A federal genetic testing program is in Lincoln this week hoping to collect more diverse data.

Organizers of the All of Us initiative said that over 80% of genetic data in U.S. research comes from people of European descent.

The group wants to diversify the data by focusing on people from racial and ethnic minorities.

Keita Hall, a tour manager for the initiative, said one of the goals is to give health care systems knowledge of a broader pool of people.

“If two people come in, and they both have diabetes, they’re both different, so they do not need to have the same type of medication,” she said. “There’s a lot of underrepresented communities, ethnicities, et cetera that we haven’t had the chance to explore.”

The initiative, which was introduced by then-President Barack Obama in 2015, is part of a federal program currently testing across the country.

The test, which takes about 30 to 45 minutes, consists of a small blood draw and a urine sample.

Taylor Crutcher, one of the examiners, said it’s a pretty easy procedure that anyone can do.

“We try to really make them feel comfortable,” she said. “It’s not like going to a doctor’s office and saying, ‘This is what’s wrong with me.’ We try to make it very enjoyable for them.”

To incentivize participation, All of Us will be giving everyone a $25 gift card that they can use at various locations.

Test takers will also be able to learn about their genetic heritage going back 500 years.

Results also include a medical evaluation that shows potential health concerns like diabetes, cancer or high blood pressure.

Hall said every little bit of data counts and will help future generations.

“Whether it’s personal for them, whether it’s a family member that has an illness that still doesn’t have a cure, or the fact that they’re just dying to know what type of genetic ancestry is in their background, all of those things matter.”

Workers are currently set up at El Centro de las Americas near Third and P streets.

Hall said anyone can stop by between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. until Thursday.

After Lincoln, they’ll be heading to Grand Island before making two stops in Omaha.