Undiagnosed genetic disease clinic opens in Madison

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A new Madison health clinic aims to help medical experts identify new genetic diseases and provide patient care to those experiencing them.

The UW Undiagnosed Genetic Disease Clinic, a clinic for people with undiagnosed genetic diseases, will allow doctors to give a diagnosis to patients, give patients a better understanding of their condition and let experts discover new genes that can cause the disease.

Dr. Stephen Meyn, director of the UW Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, stated that while this is a research effort, the focus on the center is the patients.

“When we think about how we can help these people, it is by diagnosing them so they and their healthcare providers can better understand their conditions and live their lives to their highest potential,” said Dr. Meyn.

The UW School of Medicine and Public Health explained Monday that there are 7,000 rare conditions that each affect less than 5,000 people in the country. While the diseases are rare, they collectively affect about 450,000 people in Wisconsin.

The clinic is in partnership with UW Health, the Waisman Center and UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Physicians can learn more about the center by visiting its website.

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