# The Best Genetic Risk Tools Don’t Work Equally for Everyone Models focused on European DNA are exacerbating health disparities. - **Source:** [NYT > Science](https://brifing.si/source/794f9fbd-c10f-44d6-932d-9039af67922c) - **Published:** 2026-07-20 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/3bc63bf5-fdd6-4267-bc77-bd7fd93e3d2b ## The Potential of Genetic Prediction Models Genetic risk models have the potential to revolutionize medicine. These models can predict individuals' disease risks and pave the way for personalized treatments. However, the impact of this technology is not equal for everyone. ## Focus on European DNA Current genetic models have been largely trained on DNA data from European populations. This makes it difficult to make accurate predictions for other ethnic groups and exacerbates health care disparities. ## Risk of Deepening Health Disparities The European-centric nature of genetic models increases the risk of misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment for other populations. This could further deepen health disparities. ## Lack of Global Diversity Diversity in genetic datasets is critical for models to be effective on a global scale. However, models currently lacking this diversity fall short for different ethnic groups. ## Proposed Solutions To make genetic models more inclusive, DNA data from diverse ethnic groups must be collected and utilized. This could reduce health disparities and enhance the effectiveness of the models. ## Future Implications Ensuring that genetic risk models work equally for everyone could lead to a fair and effective future in medicine. This could contribute to making global health systems more inclusive and effective. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/polygenic-risk-scores-diversity.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._