Lack of Diversity in Genetic Research Hurts Us All

Overall, humans are remarkably similar at the genomic level; two unrelated people share about 99.9 percent of their DNA sequences. But the small percentage that does differ can hold important genetic clues about our traits and health.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) can be a valuable tool for identifying genetic variants involved in disease. Yet, 78 percent of data used in GWAS comes from people of European descent, even though they make up only 16 percent of the global population. As a result, other ethnicities are vastly under-represented in genomic research. For instance, African, African-American, and Latinx populations account for just four percent of GWAS participants.

Read the new fact sheet from the American Society of Human Genetics: The Benefits of Population Representation in Genetics Research.