Pre-marital tests do not solve genetic risks

Dubai: Marrying within the family sparked a heated debate during a public forum on genetics, with some asking why it was discouraged when tests were available to weed out faulty genes.

Dr. Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz Al Haddad, a director at Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, told the audience at the Second Pan-Arab Human Genetics Conference that Islam discouraged marrying relatives, or consanguinity.

Prof. Abdul Nasser Abu Al Bassal, dean of Sharia and Islamic Studies at University of Sharjah, then questioned the concept during his presentation on pre-marital genetic testing.
“Why forbid consanguineous marriage when pre-marital genetic testing can find out if they have a disorder?'' he asked.

“Consanguineous marriage is not a monster,'' he added.
Dr. Al Haddad rebutted, saying: “Preference does not mean it is forbidden. It is just preferred (to marry outside the family) to have healthier offspring.''

Geneticists attending the forum supported Dr. Al Haddad's statement, saying genetic testing did not necessarily prevent genetic disorders.

Dr. Mohammad Naveed, consultant geneticist with the UAE Genetic Disease Association, later told Gulf News that pre-marital genetic testing was not fool-proof.

“Genetic tests only catch the disorders you're looking for (with the tests). In cases of common disorders like thalassaaemia, the risks is the same for people marrying within or outside the family,'' he said.

However, the same could not be said for rare genetic disorders that run in families.

“Consanguinity increases the risk of genetic disorders, especially recessive disorders,'' he said. “It unfolds hidden carriers (of disorders) in the family that are rare or unknown, such as mental retardation.''

The Arab world has the highest incidence of genetic disorders in the world, with about 1,000 disorders recorded, according to Dubai-based Centre for Arab Genomics Studies (CAGS). Scientists blame the high rate on the common practice of marrying relatives.

In 2005, UAE scientists, led by Dr. Naveed, discovered a new genetic disorder, in which sufferers were born without limb bones, in a family living in the UAE and Oman, blamed on consanguinity. Sixty-five family members shared a common ancestor from both sides.