Missed the Fox television show Glee on Wednesday12/9?
Rachel on Glee did not get the facts about Tay-Sachs straight!
Rachel mentioned that only Jews can be carriers of Tay-Sachs...While Tay-Sachs is more common in the Ashkenazi Jewish population,carriers may be found in the Irish, Cajun, and French-Canadian populations. ...
Rachel also mentioned that a carrier has a 50% chance of having an affected child...This is not accurate. A Tay-Sachs carrier is a healthy person who is not at risk of having an affected child unless his or her partner is also a carrier for Tay-Sachs Disease. If both partners are carriers for any of the eleven Jewish genetic diseases, which includes Tay-Sachs, the couple has a 25% chance of having an affected child with each pregnancy. 1 in 5 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for a Jewish genetic disease. A simple blood test is all that’s needed to determine if you are a carrier for a Jewish genetic diseases.
For more information or to arrange a screening, go to www.victorcenters.org. To watch the clip, click the link below.
Please contact Fox and encourage them to have a PSA after the next few episodes to clarify the misinformation and educate people on how to prevent Jewish genetic diseases.
