Navigenics, a leading personal genomics testing company, announced today it has developed an innovative physician-focused online portal allowing doctors to access the genomic information of consenting patients. For patients choosing to receive a Navigenics service through their physician, this portal allows the physician to integrate patients’ genetic information into personalized health plans designed to help diagnose early or prevent a number of health conditions. Accessible through Navigenics’ website, the secure portal empowers physicians with a suite of tools including a single access point to all of their participating patients’ genomic information, along with learning tools and case studies for integrating genomic information into their clinical practice.

Navigenics also announced that it has expanded its portfolio of DNA testing services by offering a new service that provides a lower cost of entry into genetic health. Called Navigenics Annual Insight, the new service is available for $499 and mirrors many of the hallmarks of the company’s flagship product, Navigenics Health Compass, and provides information on an individual’s genetic predisposition for common preventable health conditions.

Read More

Navigenics is pleased to announce a new relationship with a national network of physicians who practice proactive, personalized medicine. Through the collaboration, the Navigenics genetic testing service will be made available to their patients, who number more than 100,000 nationwide. I’d like to share some of the information about this collaboration, as described in a news release issued today:

National Physician Group MDVIP Partners with Navigenics to Provide Personal Genetic Tests for Preventive Medicine Practice

Boca Raton, FL and Redwood Shores, CA – December 8 2008 – MDVIP, Inc., a leading national network of physicians dedicated to preventive and personalized healthcare, and Navigenics, Inc., a leading personal genomics testing company, today announced a first of its kind collaborative effort to integrate genomic-based preventive healthcare in physician offices. Through this initiative, Navigenics’ genomic testing service will be available to MDVIP affiliated physicians to help patients understand their genetic risk factors for disease and work with their doctors to develop individualized prevention plans.

Navigenics will provide MDVIP patients and their affiliated physicians with insight into their personal genetic predisposition for developing certain medical conditions where primary or secondary prevention could improve health outcomes. The Navigenics test will identify individuals’ genetic markers for developing such conditions as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart attack, and celiac disease. Working with their personal MDVIP physician and Navigenics’ board-certified Genetic Counselors, individuals can chart and implement a personalized wellness course to help decrease their overall risk, delay disease onset or prevent it altogether.

“We have for many years been closely watching the field of genomic testing evolve into a tool that can enhance and inform the practice of preventive medicine,” said Edward Goldman, M.D., CEO of MDVIP. “We believe that Navigenics’ preventive genomics service has the potential to be an innovation that could significantly enhance patient care.”

Read More

Soon, doctors will be able to learn about genetic testing – and get professional credits for their efforts.

In a major advancement for the burgeoning genetic testing industry, the American College of Preventive Medicine has announced it is creating a medical education program on the use of genomic tools in medicine.

Called “Genetic Risk, Screening and Intervention,” the course is aimed at improving physicians’ understanding of the use of genetic testing in disease prevention. Available in early 2009, the class will discuss the genetic risk factors for disease, as well as the current evidence about the ability of genetic tests to assess risk.

This is an exciting time for the field of medicine.

“We are beginning to see healthcare’s evolvement from a discipline focused primarily on treating existing diseases and conditions to one that gives equal credence to preventing those diseases in the first place,” said Michael Barry, executive director of the American College of Preventive Medicine.

“We are excited to be helping physicians on the frontline of care become more familiar with multiple risk assessment strategies and the evidence behind new technologies—including genomic applications—that can help patients better understand their risk for disease and take appropriate actions to mitigate that risk,” he said.

To that end, national experts in genomics, prevention and epidemiology are designing the course to explore many issues related to genetic testing and disease prevention, including:

Read More

Today, Navigenics is pleased to announce our participation in a major study that will examine how people respond to personal genetic testing. Here are some details of this research endeavor, as described in a news release:

A consortium of health care, technology and research leaders have joined forces in a first-of-its-kind research study to assess the behavioral impact of personal genetic testing on people who choose to receive such screenings to identify their potential risk for developing certain diseases.

Sponsored by Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI), the study aims to find out if participating in personal genomic testing will improve health by motivating people to make positive lifestyle changes, such as exercising, eating healthy and quitting smoking, as well as decisions to seek further medical evaluation and preventive strategies.  The study will offer genetic scans to up to 10,000 employees, family members and friends of the nonprofit Scripps Health system in San Diego and will assess changes in participants’ behaviors over a 20-year period.

Read More