testing

In this whitepaper, multiple RGA experts address the status quo of testing for the purposes of early disease detection and look forward to the future of screening. 
 

Dr. Achim Regenauer discusses how far we are along the road to having multi-cancer early detection tests – essentially powerful liquid biopsies – in the clinical setting. It appears that this is much closer than previously assumed, and that these tests will complement, rather than replace, current detection options.
 

According to the Foundation for a Smokefree America, smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease causing more fatalities than cocaine, auto accidents, AIDS, alcohol, heroin, fire, suicide and homicide combined.
 

Incorporating a health exam into the life insurance application process helps insurers identify unknown or undiagnosed conditions in applicants. And the best tool for measuring cholesterol is a blood test with a lipoprotein profile.
 

A series of clinical trials examining biomarkers to reduce cancer deaths by around 20% could revolutionize cancer care. What does this mean for insurers?
 

This Heart Month, we examine three contributing factors insurers can consider when reviewing a life insurance applicant’s laboratory and medical history. We also highlight some early research that has been published on what complications COVID-19 may cause to the cardiovascular system.

Over the past three decades, the global prevalence of diabetes has risen to record levels. There has been a corresponding increase in the use of the glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test to assess or detect diabetes. An increasing number of underwriters are now also considering using HbA1c as a good blood biomarker for mortality. 

Liquid biopsies are noninvasive tests that could potentially lead to early detection of cancer by identifying the genetic material cancerous tumors shed into the bloodstream and other bodily fluids. It is now possible to test  for biomarkers such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). As these tests gain a foothold in clinical practice, insurance professionals must understand liquid biopsies and the implications for underwriting and product development.

The search is on for how to disrupt the underwriting process to find or select the best risks. Can data ever be as good as blood? There is an ever growing number of tools and resources becoming available to insurance companies to underwrite business. The presenters will present some of the tools, data sources, uses and concerns in the underwriting process.

Note: The session above (29) can be found in the 10:30-11:45 a.m. time slot