For a number of human hereditary conditions, genetic testing is available to identify heterozygous carriers. Some heterozygous carrier testing programs are community-based, often as part of an organized effort targeting specific populations in which a disease and carriers of a disease are relatively frequent. For example, carrier genetic testing programs for Tay–Sachs disease target Ashkenazi Jewish populations and sickle cell disease carrier testing programs target African American populations. The testing is usually free or available at minimal cost, the wait time for results is short, and the results are confidential and unavailable to third parties such as insurance companies. Neither the Tay–Sachs nor the sickle cell allele produces serious consequences for heterozygous carriers.

In a broader sense, what is the value of a community-based effort targeting specific populations for selected diseases?