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Response

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 6, page 721 (2005)Cite this article

Dear Editor,

Suarez-Kurtz focuses on Brazil and clearly demonstrates the extensive genetic admixture there. He quotes two areas in our paper where we do address admixture, but nevertheless contends that we paid little attention to it. A more careful reading of our paper1 would have revealed several other examples of germane content. In various sections we highlight the need for careful definition of genetic differences; acknowledge genetic variation within subpopulations; specifically distinguish countries or groups that are likely to have, like Brazil, large degrees of allelic variation (African-Americans, Caribbeans, Panamanians) and those that are less genetically diverse (sub-Saharan Africans, Inuits, Finns); call for caution in interpreting and using the results of studies; and underline the need to understand each group chosen for study because “the races that comprise the human species are far more heterogeneous than previously thought”. In general we call for better scientific studies, data and interpretation, and for avoiding conflating scientific data and social constructs.

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Authors
  1. GAbdallah Daar
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  2. Abdallah S. Daar
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Daar, G., Daar, A. Response. Nat Rev Genet 6, 721 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1559-c2

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