In a heartbreaking report out on Saturday, The New York Times detailed how prenatal blood tests for genetic defects used in some cases to justify an abortion were wrong between 81 and 93 percent of the time, as the companies boast near-perfect results. But the pro-abortion advocates in the liberal broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) didn’t want their viewers to know that terrible statistic.
And since the broadcast networks didn’t want to cover the story on their flagship newscasts, that left Fox News Channel to inform the public more broadly. “Prenatal genetic testing pushed on thousands of moms-to-be every year, but a stunning new report from The New York Times suggests the results could be wrong more often than not,” America Reports co-host John Roberts announced on Monday.
“Accuracy, obviously, is vital because these tests results can determine if the pregnancy is terminated or if a child is born or not,” correspondent William La Jeunesse followed up. “But turns out, as you said, The New York Times found out that many of these are wrong up to 90 percent of the time, meaning the tests show the fetus has a mutation when it doesn't.”
And while noting that the tests are considered preliminary and that a more in-depth follow-up tests need to the done, La Jeunesse explained that sometimes results are handed out “without ever really discussing what a positive means. Only to find out some women have gotten an abortion, then to find out later that the test was wrong.”
On the abortion issue, according to The Times:
The companies have known for years that the follow-up testing doesn’t always happen. A 2014 study found that 6 percent of patients who screened positive obtained an abortion without getting another test to confirm the result. That same year The Boston Globe quoted a doctor describing three terminations following unconfirmed positive results.”
“One [geneticist] described a case in which the follow-up testing revealed the fetus was healthy. But by the time the results came, the patient had already ended her pregnancy,” the paper added.
There were even some on the left disturbed by the report. On MSNBC’s Katy Tur Reports on Monday, Tur described how she “got pretty upset” after reading the report because she had undergone the screening when she was pregnant with her first son.
“So, hearing that these tests are not even correct most of the time is very frustrating for me, and I didn't even have any issues. I can't imagine being told my kid had some sort of problem and then finding out later all of that worry was wrong, or aborting the fetus because it was too scary,” she said with obvious frustration in her voice.
And in a heartbreaking passage from The Times piece, they note interviewing “14 patients who got false positives [and] said the experience was agonizing. They recalled frantically researching conditions they’d never heard of, followed by sleepless nights and days hiding their bulging bellies from friends.”
Instead of covering this story on Monday like Fox News Channel and MSNBC did, all three of the broadcast networks hyped the anniversary of January 6. And ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News gawked at NFL player Antonio Brown’s meltdown during the Buccaneers/Jets game.
The omission of The New York Times report was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Nature’s Bounty on ABC, Allstate on CBS, and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s America Reports
January 3, 2022
2:55:04 p.m. EasternJOHN ROBERTS: Prenatal genetic testing pushed on thousands of moms-to-be every year, but a stunning new report from The New York Times suggests the results could be wrong more often than not. William La Jeunesse live in Los Angeles with the details. I can't think of anything much more stressful than being an expected parent. And now this, William?
WILLIAM LA JEUNESSSE: Yeah, about 35 percent of pregnant women, John, get tests for genetic disorders; typically for something for Down syndrome. But now medicine can and is testing for additional genetic conditions. Accuracy, obviously, is vital because these tests results can determine if the pregnancy is terminated or if a child is born or not.
But turns out, as you said, The New York Times found out that many of these are wrong up to 90 percent of the time, meaning the tests show the fetus has a mutation when it doesn't.
[Cuts to video]
PAMELA FLODMAN (UCI Genetic Counseling Grand PGR Dir.): Non-invasive prenatal screening tests can provide a very valuable option for a number of pregnant women. But it’s extremely important that when a test like this is offered; that the pregnant couple and their doctor have the opportunity ahead of time to decide which conditions they want screening for.
[Cuts back to live]
LA JEUNESSSE: So, the tests cover a range of potential defects, including DiGeorge syndrome, which is associated with heart defects; the [1]p36 syndrome, which can cause life-long seizures; intellectual and muscular disabilities found with Wolf-Hirschhorn or the Prader-Willi syndrome.
Now, some doctors say, “Hey, these tests are just a preliminary and they will only be used to trigger more advanced say placenta or abiotic testing.” But critics see it as more of a marketing scam and they want the FDA to prohibit false climbs of accuracy.
Partially because all OB/GYNs aren’t familiar with the latest data, and also, John, because depending on a woman's age or genetic history, they’ll say, “Hey, order the test” without ever really discussing what a positive means. Only to find out some women have gotten an abortion, then to find out later that the test was wrong. John.
ROBERTS: That’s amazing that some of these tests are wrong more than nine in ten times.
LA JEUNESSSE: Right. And the FDA does not regulate it. I talked to the former FDA director of in vitro tests and he says they should. Back to you.
ROBERTS: William La Jeunesse for us, in Los Angeles. Shocking report, William. Thank you.
