At a time when most personal genetic testing companies do not even offer genetic counseling to their clients, Navigenics, I’m thrilled to report, is expanding our counseling program.
Genetic counseling from a qualified professional is a critical part of the genetic testing experience. Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals who are trained to help you understand what genetic information means for you and your family – and whether testing is appropriate for you. We work with you to put your results into context and discuss ways to integrate the information into your life.
Both the American Clinical Laboratory Association and the National Society of Genetic Counselors recommend that counseling be available to patients before and after the testing process.
“Genetic testing can be very helpful in detecting hereditary diseases. However, the most important first step is to understand the ramifications of the information that might be revealed by a test,” said Steven Keiles, President of National Society of Genetic Counselors in a recent release. Direct-to-consumer “genetic tests can deliver powerful information. A trained genetic counselor can help prepare you for what you might learn and be there for you to interpret results. They can also help you decide if having a genetic test is a good choice.”
Because of growing patient and physician demand, we have added two new genetic counselors to our team:
- Jana Klein was board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics in 1990. She began her genetics career at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and later joined California Pacific Medical Center as a genetic counselor in prenatal, muscular dystrophy, ALS and Huntington disease centers. She has written numerous scientific papers.
- Sara Riordan is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and specializes in providing counseling via the telephone and internet. She has over five years of experience in teratology and prenatal counseling over the telephone. She has also developed several web-based educational resources. She has presented at national meetings and has written extensively in scientific publications.
Genetic counseling is available to all of our clients by phone, and the sessions are private – and free. If you have signed up for a Navigenics genetic test and have not yet scheduled an appointment with one of our genetic counselors, we encourage you to do so today. Remember, we’re here to help.