1
|
Jamal L, May M, Setzer MR, Yu M, Berkman B, Similuk M. Research participants' perspectives about the return of uninformative genomic test results in a clinical research setting. J Genet Couns 2024; 33:689-698. [PMID: 37641538 PMCID: PMC10899523 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The majority of genomic sequencing and microarray results are clinically uninformative, meaning that they do not suggest a need for any behavioral action or medical intervention. Prior studies have shown that recipients of uninformative genomic testing results ("uninformative results" hereafter) may incorrectly interpret them to imply a lowered risk of disease or false reassurance about future health risks. Few studies have examined how patients understand uninformative results when they are returned in a research setting, where there is wide variation in analytical specifications of testing, interpretation and reporting practices, and resources to support the return of results. We conducted cross-sectional interviews (N = 17) to explore how a subset of research participants in one genomics study at the National Institutes of Health reacted to and understood their uninformative test results, which were returned to them via a patient portal without genetic counseling. We found that most participants did not remember the details of the informed consent process, including the distinction between "primary" and "secondary" findings. Participants had questions about what genes were tested for and, in most cases, requested a list of the genes covered. Several participants incorrectly assumed that autosomal recessive carrier results would have been reported to them if detected. Some participants interpreted their uninformative results to mean that they could forgo prenatal testing, and participants had mixed expectations about whether their results might be reinterpreted in the future. These themes suggest that there are specific challenges to returning uninformative results in research settings. Educational supplements to uninformative test reports may be most useful if they contextualize results in relation to other types of clinical genetic or genomic testing that may be made available to research participants in their lifetimes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leila Jamal
- Center for Cancer Research, Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
- NIH Clinical Center Department of Bioethics, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Makenna May
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
- Medical Genetics and Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael R. Setzer
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mary Yu
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Benjamin Berkman
- NIH Clinical Center Department of Bioethics, Bethesda, Maryland
- Bioethics Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Morgan Similuk
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hiromoto K, Yamada T, Tsuchiya M, Kawame H, Nanba E, Goto Y, Kosugi S. Difficulties in disclosing secondary findings by facilities performing comprehensive germline genetic testing for rare diseases in Japan. Congenit Anom (Kyoto) 2024; 64:116-124. [PMID: 38530047 DOI: 10.1111/cga.12562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
In Japan, a limited number of laboratories perform comprehensive genetic testing for rare diseases; this study investigated the attitudes of these laboratories toward the disclosure of secondary finding (SF). Following a preliminary survey, we identified laboratories conducting comprehensive genetic testing for participation. Subsequently, an online survey involving 20 selected facilities was conducted. The response rate was 80% (16/20). Of the 14 facilities, 71.4% had SFs. While 42.9% of them had a policy to disclose SFs with clinical utility, only 14.3% actively searched for actionable variants that could be included in the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics list. Japan was less enthusiastic than the USA regarding SF disclosure. With regard to the reasons for not disclosing SFs, the factors "the thought that participants may have a low desire for SFs" and "uncertainty regarding their wish" were considered more important than in the USA. A content analysis of what was sought as a solution to this difficulty revealed a need to improve databases on pathogenicity and actionability and collect public thoughts on the issue. The factor "to promote entry in research" was not considered a critical reason for disclosing SFs, indicating that the thirst for information was not possibly due to anxiety but rather due to scientific interest. Japanese medical professionals may not be confident that society requires the disclosure of SFs. To improve the environment, it is necessary to survey the public regarding their thoughts on SF disclosure and discuss this issue in society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kana Hiromoto
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yamada
- Department of Medical Ethics and Medical Genetics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | - Hiroshi Kawame
- Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Miyagi, Japan
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Jikei University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiji Nanba
- Organization for Research Initiative and Promotion, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Yuichi Goto
- Medical Genome Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Kosugi
- Department of Medical Ethics and Medical Genetics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Codina-Solà M, Trujillano L, Abulí A, Rovira-Moreno E, Muñoz-Cabello P, Campos B, Fernández-Álvarez P, Palau D, Carrasco E, Valenzuela I, Cueto-González AM, Lasa-Aranzasti A, Limeres J, Leno-Colorado J, Costa-Roger M, Moles-Fernández A, Balmaña J, Díez O, Cuscó I, Garcia-Arumí E, Tizzano EF. An spanish study of secondary findings in families affected with mendelian disorders: choices, prevalence and family history. Eur J Hum Genet 2023; 31:223-230. [PMID: 36446894 PMCID: PMC9905470 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-022-01240-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical exome sequencing has the potential to identify pathogenic variants unrelated to the purpose of the study (secondary findings, SFs). Data describing actual choices of SFs in participants in a clinical setting and factors influencing their decision are virtually non-existant in Europe. In this work, we report the acceptance rate of SFs, calculate their prevalence and study factors associated with the decision in a cohort of patients affected with a rare genetic disorder in a Spanish Hospital. Finally, we re-examine the presence of previously non reported family history in positive cases. We retrospectively reviewed informed consent choices and SF results from 824 unrelated probands affected with rare genetic disorders who underwent whole-genome or exome sequencing. Ninety percent of families (740/824) affected with rare disorders wished to be informed of SFs. Declining SFs was associated with a prenatal setting (30% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.025), consanguinity (19% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.013), male gender (10.6% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.00865) and the proband being a minor (10.6% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.014). Overall, 27 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified in 27 individuals, with an SF prevalence of 3.6%. Disclosure of SFs increased the percentage of positive family histories and resulted in early diagnosis or changes in the management of 10 individuals from five families. We show that the acceptance of SFs in Spain is high and the disclosure of SFs leads to a clinically meaningful change in the medical management of individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Codina-Solà
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain.
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain.
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Trujillano
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Abulí
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eulàlia Rovira-Moreno
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patricia Muñoz-Cabello
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Campos
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Fernández-Álvarez
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dolors Palau
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estela Carrasco
- Hereditary Cancer Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Valenzuela
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Maria Cueto-González
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amaia Lasa-Aranzasti
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Limeres
- European Reference Networks for rare, low prevalence and complex diseases of the heart (ERN GUARD-Heart), Barcelona, Spain
- Unidad de Cardiopatías Familiares, Servicio de Cardiología, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Cardiovascular Diseases (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Leno-Colorado
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Costa-Roger
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Moles-Fernández
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith Balmaña
- Hereditary Cancer Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Orland Díez
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Hereditary Cancer Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ivon Cuscó
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Garcia-Arumí
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
- Research Group on Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Disorders, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduardo Fidel Tizzano
- Medicine Genetics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Congenital Malformations and Rare Intellectual Disability ERN-ITHACA, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|