Why Patients Are Apprehensive About Genetic Testing

JENNIFER GEURTS, MS, CGC

Friday, May 03, 2019

While genetic testing can have significant impacts on the type of treatment a patient receives, some individuals are apprehensive about the process, explained Jennifer Geurts, MS, CGC, a certified genetic counselor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

First, people may have concerns about the cost of the testing, though the price has gone down and insurance coverage continues to expand for qualified individuals. Additionally, genetic testing may tell patients and their families information regarding cancer risk that is emotionally overwhelming. For that reason, it is important that healthcare providers walk through the results of genetic testing with patients and their loved ones to help decipher what the findings mean.

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