BCO Podcast: Benefits & Drawbacks of At-Home Genetic Tests

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Benefits and Drawbacks of At-Home Genetic Tests

March 9, 2018

Cristina Nixon is a licensed certified genetic counselor with the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program at Main Line Health in Pennsylvania. In addition to counseling patients, she also assists with research, including a study looking at multi-gene panels in BRCA1/BRCA2-positive families. Cristina also has completed the City of Hope's intensive course in cancer risk assessment.

In the wake of the March 6, 2018 U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorization of the 23andMe Personal Genomic Service Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) test, we talked to Cristina about at-home genetic testing.

Listen to the podcast to hear Cristina explain:

• the differences between an at-home genetic test, such as the 23andMe BRCA genetic test, and a genetic test that is ordered by your doctor, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each
• how the cost of a genetic test ordered by a doctor isn't much more than the cost of an at-home genetic test
• why genetic counseling is so important when having genetic testing
• what she wants people to know about at-home genetic tests

Running time: 20:00

Listen now or read the transcript.