Trending News Today: Study Shows Limitations in 23andMe BRCA Mutation Tests

A recent study showed that 23andMe, a popular DNA kit test, may be more likely to miss genetic mutations that can increase the risk of breast cancer, The New York Times reported. According to the article, the study, which included 100,000 individuals, showed that approximately 90% of those who carried a BRCA mutation would have been missed by 23andMe’s test. The DNA kit’s BRCA test claims to test for 3 common variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that indicate an increased risk of breast cancer, but the study results revealed limitations in accurately identifying these genetic mutations with the test, the article reported.

CVS Health has agreed to pay $535,000 to resolve federal allegations that the chain filled dozens of forged Percocet prescriptions in Rhode Island, The Associated Press reported. According to the article, federal officials say the forged prescriptions were filled at several Rhode Island CVS locations between September 2015 and June 2017. Officials say the actions are in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act, which places a “corresponding responsibility” on pharmacists to ensure that prescriptions are valid and legal, the article reported.

A new study suggests that individuals who regularly use cannabis may need higher doses of anesthesia for surgery, Reuters reported. According to the article, the study evaluated 250 patients who had minimally invasive procedures requiring anesthesia in Colorado, where recreational marijuana is legal. Compared with other patients, regular cannabis users needed more than twice as much of the anesthetic Propofol, 14% more of the analgesic fentanyl, and 20% more of the sedative midazolam, the article reported.