1
|
Young J, Jimenez A, Pruett M, Hancock L, Schruff M. A randomized controlled trial of analogue pharmacogenomic testing feedback for psychotropic medications. PEC INNOVATION 2023; 2:100119. [PMID: 37214496 PMCID: PMC10194257 DOI: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2022.100119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Objective To examine the impact of various presentations of pharmacogenomic testing results using a published, color-coded decision support tool (DST) format as a standard stimulus to list possible medications. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to groups and asked to decide which psychotropic medication they would prefer if depressed. Three of the groups varied the color-coded category of fluoxetine and received a statement indicating that this was the most prescribed drug for depression. A fourth control condition omitted base rate information. Participants also provided detail about their decision-making processes through a qualitative interview. Results Comparison of the first three groups indicated that significantly more participants selected medications from the highest category of likely effectiveness when fluoxetine appeared in this list. Comparison of the control group to its relevant analogue suggested no significant differences in selection strategy. Qualitative interview responses indicated participant comfort with genetic testing despite awareness of having very limited understanding of these techniques and their implications. Conclusions Both DST color-coding and base rates were influential in driving drug selection decisions, despite most participants indicating they did not understand this information. Innovation Efforts to standardize pharmacogenomic stimuli may lead to advances in methods of studying quantifiable healthcare decisions. Attention to the context for presenting test results may also be a useful source of understanding patient responses, particularly regarding complex tests that are likely to be interpreted heuristically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Young
- University of Mississippi, Department of Psychology, 207 Peabody Hall, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Aileen Jimenez
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Pharmacy, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Madeline Pruett
- University of Mississippi, Department of Psychology, 207 Peabody Hall, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Laken Hancock
- University of Mississippi, Department of Psychology, 207 Peabody Hall, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - McCall Schruff
- University of Mississippi, Department of Psychology, 207 Peabody Hall, University, MS 38677, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Clayton EW, Tritell AM, Thorogood AM. Avoiding Liability and Other Legal Land Mines in the Evolving Genomics Landscape. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2023; 24:333-346. [PMID: 36630592 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-100722-021725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews evolving legal implications for clinicians and researchers as genomics is used more widely in both the clinic and in translational research, reflecting rapid changes in scientific knowledge as well as the surrounding cultural and political environment. Professionals will face new and changing duties to make or act upon a genetic diagnosis, address direct-to-consumer genetic testing in patient care, consider the health implications of results for patients' family members, and recontact patients when test results change over time. Professional duties in reproductive genetic testing will need to be recalibrated in response to disruptive changes to reproductive rights in the United States. We also review the debate over who controls the flow of genetic information and who is responsible for its protection, considering the globally influential European Union General Data Protection Regulation and the rapidly evolving data privacy law landscape of the United States.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Wright Clayton
- Department of Pediatrics and Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA;
- School of Law, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA;
| | - Alex M Tritell
- School of Law, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA;
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ruehl M, Hovick S, Philp A, Sweet K. Assessing the general public's view of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing and their interpretation of DTC website disclaimer messages. Eur J Hum Genet 2023; 31:939-944. [PMID: 37337090 PMCID: PMC10400655 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-023-01411-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The general public continues to show increased interest and uptake of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing. We conducted an online survey (N = 405) to assess genetics knowledge, interest, and outcome expectancy of DTC genetic testing before and after exposure to a sample DTC disclaimer message. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the relationship between previous genetic knowledge, attitudes and self-reported systematic processing of a sample DTC disclaimer message, outcome expectancies, and interest to pursue DTC genetic testing. Increased genetic knowledge and more positive attitudes towards DTC genetic testing were associated with increased self-reported systematic processing of the DTC disclaimer message. Further, self-reported systematic processing of the DTC disclaimer message was associated with greater interest in pursuing DTC genetic testing but did not predict outcome expectancies. As DTC genetic testing continues to gain in popularity and usage, additional research is imperative to better understand participants' motivations and processing of the DTC disclaimer messages to improve the user experience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madison Ruehl
- Division of Human Genetics, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43420, USA.
- Ohio Health Cancer Genetic Counseling, Bing Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA.
| | - Shelly Hovick
- School of Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA
| | - Alisdair Philp
- Department of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Kevin Sweet
- Division of Human Genetics, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43420, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Panacer KS. Ethical Issues Associated With Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing. Cureus 2023; 15:e39918. [PMID: 37404400 PMCID: PMC10317585 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.39918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) is becoming an increasingly profitable private enterprise that provides genetic testing kits directly to consumers. DTC-GT companies advertise themselves as a method for patients to take control of their own health and investigate their risk of diseases and conditions as well as look into their ancestry. The scope of practice of these companies continues to widen offering more services. Consumers may therefore have a relatively poor understanding of the services provided when purchasing these products. The testing methods utilised show some limitations, the consequences of which have the possibility of leading to harm to consumers. The result of the data gathered may instigate the formation of negative stereotypes from the public and reinforce existing ones towards a population that may have already been previously subjugated to unfair treatment. The controversy surrounding how data are utilised further impacts how many may engage in its use. This review aims to provide an overview of the services these companies purport to provide as well as highlight important ethical issues of the service such as quality of information, privacy concerns, negative psychosocial impact and the effect on clinical practice.
Collapse
|
5
|
Guo J, Clayton EW, Kantarcioglu M, Vorobeychik Y, Wooders M, Wan Z, Yin Z, Malin BA. A game theoretic approach to balance privacy risks and familial benefits. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6932. [PMID: 37117219 PMCID: PMC10147669 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33177-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As recreational genomics continues to grow in its popularity, many people are afforded the opportunity to share their genomes in exchange for various services, including third-party interpretation (TPI) tools, to understand their predisposition to health problems and, based on genome similarity, to find extended family members. At the same time, these services have increasingly been reused by law enforcement to track down potential criminals through family members who disclose their genomic information. While it has been observed that many potential users shy away from such data sharing when they learn that their privacy cannot be assured, it remains unclear how potential users' valuations of the service will affect a population's behavior. In this paper, we present a game theoretic framework to model interdependent privacy challenges in genomic data sharing online. Through simulations, we find that in addition to the boundary cases when (1) no player and (2) every player joins, there exist pure-strategy Nash equilibria when a relatively small portion of players choose to join the genomic database. The result is consistent under different parametric settings. We further examine the stability of Nash equilibria and illustrate that the only equilibrium that is resistant to a random dropping of players is when all players join the genomic database. Finally, we show that when players consider the impact that their data sharing may have on their relatives, the only pure strategy Nash equilibria are when either no player or every player shares their genomic data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Guo
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
| | - Ellen Wright Clayton
- School of Law, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Murat Kantarcioglu
- Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75083, USA
| | - Yevgeniy Vorobeychik
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Myrna Wooders
- Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Zhiyu Wan
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - Zhijun Yin
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - Bradley A Malin
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Park JK, Lu CY. Polygenic Scores in the Direct-to-Consumer Setting: Challenges and Opportunities for a New Era in Consumer Genetic Testing. J Pers Med 2023; 13:jpm13040573. [PMID: 37108959 PMCID: PMC10144199 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13040573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests have generated considerable scholarly attention and public intrigue. Although the current consumer genetic testing regime relies on the reporting of individual variants of interest to consumers, there has recently been interest in the possibility of integrating polygenic scores (PGS), which aggregate genetic liability for disease across the entire genome. While PGS have thus far been extensively explored as clinical and public health tools, the use of PGS in consumer genetic testing has not yet received systematic attention, even though they are already in use for some consumer genetic tests. In this narrative review, we highlight the ethical, legal, and social implications of the use of PGS in DTC genetic tests and synthesize existing solutions to these concerns. We organize these concerns into three domains: (1) industry variation; (2) privacy and commercialization; and (3) patient safety and risk. While previously expressed concerns in these domains will remain relevant, the emergence of PGS-based DTC genetic tests raises challenges that will require novel approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin K Park
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christine Y Lu
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and the Northern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2077, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nguyen Dolphyn TT, Ormond KE, Weissman SM, Kim HJ, Reuter CM. Patient experiences with clinical confirmatory genetic testing after using direct-to-consumer raw DNA and third-party genetic interpretation services. Transl Behav Med 2023; 13:104-114. [PMID: 36327324 DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of raw DNA and genetic interpretation tools allow individuals to access genetic health risk information, where analytical false-positives exist. Little is known about the experience of individuals who receive pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant(s) through raw DNA interpretation and follow-up with clinical confirmatory genetic testing. This qualitative study set out to describe the experiences of individuals who pursued clinical confirmatory genetic testing, including their perception of the process. Participants were recruited from social media and eligible if they discovered a potential pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in a raw DNA interpretation report, completed clinical confirmatory genetic testing in the U.S., and provided documentation of those results. Individuals participated in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and inductively coded to identify themes. Of the 12 participants, 3 received clinical genetic testing results that confirmed pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants noted in raw DNA interpretation reports (confirmation positive), and 9 were not confirmed. Nearly all (n = 11) participants described emotional distress and information-seeking behavior as a coping mechanism after discovering a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in raw DNA interpretation. When pursuing confirmatory genetic testing, many (n = 9) faced challenges with finding knowledgeable healthcare providers and obtaining insurance coverage. Despite reporting concerns over raw DNA interpretation and a desire for more safeguards, almost all (n = 10) participants stated interest in using the service again. Overall, participants' experiences reveal they find personal utility in raw DNA interpretation results and provide insight into opportunities for patient and provider education.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany T Nguyen Dolphyn
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305USA.,Stanford Medicine Clinical Genomics Program, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Kelly E Ormond
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305USA.,Department of Genetics and Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.,Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Helen J Kim
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305USA
| | - Chloe M Reuter
- Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Offit K, Sharkey CM, Green D, Wu X, Trottier M, Hamilton JG, Walsh MF, Dandiker S, Belhadj S, Lipkin SM, Sugrañes TA, Caggana M, Stadler ZK. Regulation of Laboratory-Developed Tests in Preventive Oncology: Emerging Needs and Opportunities. J Clin Oncol 2023; 41:11-21. [PMID: 35944238 PMCID: PMC10409443 DOI: 10.1200/jco.22.00995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer predictive or diagnostic assays, offered as Laboratory-Developed Tests (LDTs), have been subject to regulatory authority and enforcement discretion by the US Food and Drug Administration. Many LDTs enter the market without US Food and Drug Administration or any regulatory review. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments focuses on analytic performance, but has limited oversight of the quality or utility of LDTs, including whether patients have been harmed as a result of their use. Increasingly, LDTs for cancer risk or early detection have been marketed directly to consumers, with many LDT developers depicting these tests, requested by patients but ordered by personal or company-associated physicians, as procedures falling under the practice of medicine. This patchwork of regulation and enforcement uncertainty regarding LDTs and public concerns about accuracy of tests given emergency authorization during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT (in vitro clinical test) Development Act of 2021. This pending federal legislation represents an opportunity to harmonize regulatory policies and address growing concerns over quality, utility, and safety of LDTs for cancer genomics, including tests marketed directly to consumers. We review here questions regarding the potential benefits and harms of some cancer-related LDTs for cancer risk and presymptomatic molecular diagnosis, increasingly marketed to oncologists or directly to the worried well. We offer specific proposals to strengthen oversight of the accuracy and clinical utility of cancer genetic testing to ensure public safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Offit
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | | | - Dina Green
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Xiaohan Wu
- The University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Berkeley, CA
| | - Magan Trottier
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jada G. Hamilton
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Michael F. Walsh
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Sita Dandiker
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Sami Belhadj
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | | | | | - Michele Caggana
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
| | - Zsofia K. Stadler
- Clinical Genetics Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Widen E, Lello L, Raben TG, Tellier LCAM, Hsu SDH. Polygenic Health Index, General Health, and Pleiotropy: Sibling Analysis and Disease Risk Reduction. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18173. [PMID: 36307513 PMCID: PMC9616929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22637-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We construct a polygenic health index as a weighted sum of polygenic risk scores for 20 major disease conditions, including, e.g., coronary artery disease, type 1 and 2 diabetes, schizophrenia, etc. Individual weights are determined by population-level estimates of impact on life expectancy. We validate this index in odds ratios and selection experiments using unrelated individuals and siblings (pairs and trios) from the UK Biobank. Individuals with higher index scores have decreased disease risk across almost all 20 diseases (no significant risk increases), and longer calculated life expectancy. When estimated Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) are used as the performance metric, the gain from selection among ten individuals (highest index score vs average) is found to be roughly 4 DALYs. We find no statistical evidence for antagonistic trade-offs in risk reduction across these diseases. Correlations between genetic disease risks are found to be mostly positive and generally mild. These results have important implications for public health and also for fundamental issues such as pleiotropy and genetic architecture of human disease conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Widen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA. .,Genomic Prediction, Inc., 671 US Highway One, North Brunswick, NJ, 08902, USA.
| | - Louis Lello
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA. .,Genomic Prediction, Inc., 671 US Highway One, North Brunswick, NJ, 08902, USA.
| | - Timothy G Raben
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Laurent C A M Tellier
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Genomic Prediction, Inc., 671 US Highway One, North Brunswick, NJ, 08902, USA
| | - Stephen D H Hsu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Genomic Prediction, Inc., 671 US Highway One, North Brunswick, NJ, 08902, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lee A, Neidich J, Nguyen H. Outpatient Primary Care Genetic Testing Primer: What to Order and Testing Considerations. MISSOURI MEDICINE 2022; 119:390-396. [PMID: 36118815 PMCID: PMC9462914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The field of genetics has evolved rapidly over the last few decades, from testing methods to genetic diagnoses, bringing new genetic testing guidelines and considerations for health care providers. Overall geneticists are limited in number and availability, particularly in non-academic settings, and many patients first present to a primary care provider. Here, we aim to review various modalities of genetic testing, their indications, limitations, and other pretest considerations for the primary care provider. In addition, we comment on the limitations of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, which has seen a rise in popularity among the general population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Julie Neidich
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Hoanh Nguyen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Genomic health data generation in the UK: a 360 view. Eur J Hum Genet 2022; 30:782-789. [PMID: 34663916 PMCID: PMC8523282 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-021-00976-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the UK, genomic health data is being generated in three major contexts: the healthcare system (based on clinical indication), in large scale research programmes, and for purchasers of direct-to-consumer genetic tests. The recently delivered hybrid clinical/research programme, 100,000 Genomes Project set the scene for a new Genomic Medicine Service, through which the National Health Service aims to deliver consistent and equitable care informed by genomics, while providing data to inform academic and industry research and development. In parallel, a large scale research study, Our Future Health, has UK Government and Industry investment and aims to recruit 5 million volunteers to support research intended to improve early detection, risk stratification, and early intervention for chronic diseases. To explore how current models of genomic health data generation intersect, and to understand clinical, ethical, legal, policy and social issues arising from this intersection, we conducted a series of five multidisciplinary panel discussions attended by 28 invited stakeholders. Meetings were recorded and transcribed. We present a summary of issues identified: genomic test attributes; reasons for generating genomic health data; individuals' motivation to seek genomic data; health service impacts; role of genetic counseling; equity; data uses and security; consent; governance and regulation. We conclude with some suggestions for policy consideration.
Collapse
|
12
|
Mizrahi-Man O, Woehrmann MH, Webster TA, Gollub J, Bivol A, Keeble SM, Aull KH, Mittal A, Roter AH, Wong BA, Schmidt JP. Novel genotyping algorithms for rare variants significantly improve the accuracy of Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ array genotyping calls: Retrospective evaluation of UK Biobank array data. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277680. [PMID: 36395175 PMCID: PMC9671364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The UK Biobank genotyped about 500k participants using Applied Biosystems Axiom microarrays. Participants were subsequently sequenced by the UK Biobank Exome Sequencing Consortium. Axiom genotyping was highly accurate in comparison to sequencing results, for almost 100,000 variants both directly genotyped on the UK Biobank Axiom array and via whole exome sequencing. However, in a study using the exome sequencing results of the first 50k individuals as reference (truth), it was observed that the positive predictive value (PPV) decreased along with the number of heterozygous array calls per variant. We developed a novel addition to the genotyping algorithm, Rare Heterozygous Adjusted (RHA), to significantly improve PPV in variants with minor allele frequency below 0.01%. The improvement in PPV was roughly equal when comparing to the exome sequencing of 50k individuals, or to the more recent ~200k individuals. Sensitivity was higher in the 200k data. The improved calling algorithm, along with enhanced quality control of array probesets, significantly improved the positive predictive value and the sensitivity of array data, making it suitable for the detection of ultra-rare variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Orna Mizrahi-Man
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | | | | | - Jeremy Gollub
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Adrian Bivol
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Sara M. Keeble
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Anuradha Mittal
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Alan H. Roter
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Brant A. Wong
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Jeanette P. Schmidt
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hazel JW, Hammack-Aviran C, Brelsford KM, Malin BA, Beskow LM, Clayton EW. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing: Prospective users' attitudes toward information about ancestry and biological relationships. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260340. [PMID: 34843533 PMCID: PMC8629298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is marketed as a tool to uncover ancestry and kin. Recent studies of actual and potential users have demonstrated that individuals’ responses to the use of these tests for these purposes are complex, with privacy, disruptive consequences, potential for misuse, and secondary use by law enforcement cited as potential concerns. We conducted six focus groups with a diverse sample of participants (n = 62) who were aware of but had not used direct-to-consumer genetic tests, in an effort to understand more about what people considering these tests think about the potential value, risks, and benefits of such testing, taking into account use by third parties, such as potential kin and law enforcement. Participants differed widely in the perceived value of direct-to-consumer genetic tests for ancestry and kinship information for their own lives, including the desirability of contact with previously unknown relatives. Some perceived ancestry testing as mere curiosity or entertainment, while others, particularly those who had gaps in their family history, few living relatives, or who were adopted, saw greater value. Concerns about intrusion into one’s life by purported kin and control of data were widespread, with many participants expressing concern about secondary uses of data that could harm users or their families. The use of direct-to-consumer genetic tests data for forensic genealogy elicited a particularly wide array of reactions, both spontaneously and in response to specific discussion prompts, mirroring the current public debate about law enforcement access to such data. The themes uncovered through our investigation warrant specific attention in the continued development of the science, policy, and practice of commercial direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James W. Hazel
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Catherine Hammack-Aviran
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Kathleen M. Brelsford
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Bradley A. Malin
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Laura M. Beskow
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Ellen Wright Clayton
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lang M, Lemieux S, Hébert J, Sauvageau G, Zawati MH. Legal and Ethical Considerations for the Design and Use of Web Portals for Researchers, Clinicians, and Patients: Scoping Literature Review. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e26450. [PMID: 34762055 PMCID: PMC8663501 DOI: 10.2196/26450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aims to identify a novel potential use for web portals in health care and health research: their adoption for the purposes of rapidly sharing health research findings with clinicians, scientists, and patients. In the era of precision medicine and learning health systems, the translation of research findings into targeted therapies depends on the availability of big data and emerging research results. Web portals may work to promote the availability of novel research, working in tandem with traditional scientific publications and conference proceedings. Objective This study aims to assess the potential use of web portals, which facilitate the sharing of health research findings among researchers, clinicians, patients, and the public. It also summarizes the potential legal, ethical, and policy implications associated with such tools for public use and in the management of patient care for complex diseases. Methods This study broadly adopts the methods for scoping literature reviews outlined by Arskey and O’Malley in 2005. Raised by the integration of web portals into patient care for complex diseases, we systematically searched 3 databases, PubMed, Scopus, and WestLaw Next, for sources describing web portals for sharing health research findings among clinicians, researchers, and patients and their associated legal, ethical, and policy challenges. Of the 719 candidate source citations, 22 were retained for the review. Results We found varied and inconsistent treatment of web portals for sharing health research findings among clinicians, researchers, and patients. Although the literature supports the view that portals of this kind are potentially highly promising, they remain novel and are not yet widely adopted. We also found a wide range of discussions on the legal, ethical, and policy issues related to the use of web portals to share research data. Conclusions We identified 5 important legal and ethical challenges: privacy and confidentiality, patient health literacy, equity, training, and decision-making. We contend that each of these has meaningful implications for the increased integration of web portals into clinical care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lang
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Lemieux
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Josée Hébert
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,The Leucegene Project at Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Division of Hematology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Sauvageau
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Division of Hematology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ma'n H Zawati
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mwale S, Farsides B. Imagining genomic medicine futures in primary care: General practitioners' views on mainstreaming genomics in the National Health Service. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2021; 43:2121-2140. [PMID: 34773708 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Genomic medicine has captured the imaginations of policymakers and medical scientists keen to harness its health and economic potentials. In 2012, the UK government launched the 100,000 Genomes Project to sequence the genomes of British National Health Service (NHS) patients, laying the ground for mainstreaming genomic medicine in the NHS and developing the UK's genomics industry. However, the recent research and reports from national bodies monitoring genomic medicine's roll-out suggest both ethical and practical challenges for health-care professionals. Against this backdrop, this paper, drawing on qualitative research interviews with general practitioners (GPs) and documentary analysis of policy, explores GPs' views on mainstreaming genomic medicine in the NHS and implications for their practice. Analysing the NHS's genomic medicine agenda as a 'sociotechnical imaginary', we demonstrate that whilst sociotechnical imaginaries are construed as collectively shared understandings of the future, official visions of genomic medicine diverge from those at the forefront of health-care service delivery. Whilst policy discourse evokes hope and transformation of health care, some GPs see technology in formation, an unattainable 'utopia', with no relevance to their everyday clinical practice. Finding space for genomics requires bridging the gap between 'work as imagined' at the policy level and 'work as done' in health-care delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shadreck Mwale
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Division of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton, UK
| | - Bobbie Farsides
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Division of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Brown EE. The genetic counselor's role in management of patients with dyslipidemia. Curr Opin Lipidol 2021; 32:83-88. [PMID: 33492006 DOI: 10.1097/mol.0000000000000732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The role of genetic testing in diagnosis and management of dyslipidemias continues to grow. Consequently, it is increasingly important for patients to have access to clinicians who have expertise in medical genetics and the psychological implications related to this type of testing. Often a lipidologist has had limited training in this regard, and this review explores the role of the genetic counselor to fill this gap. RECENT FINDINGS Genetic counselors are key members of the healthcare team, and their specialized training in medical genetics and counseling allows them to fill this professional knowledge gap within the lipid clinic. SUMMARY With the continued emphasis on precision medicine, the utility of genetic testing for dyslipidemias will continue to grow. This will in turn increase the demand for provider expertise in medical genetics and counseling around these complex issues. Integrating a genetic counselor within the lipid clinic provides an ideal management scenario providing patients and families with access to not only medical information but also emotional support regarding their hereditary condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Brown
- Center for Inherited Heart Disease, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Mn W, L J, Jw H, Ks R, J T, At H, Cf W. Use of SNP chips to detect rare pathogenic variants: retrospective, population based diagnostic evaluation. BMJ 2021; 372:n214. [PMID: 33589468 PMCID: PMC7879796 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether the sensitivity and specificity of SNP chips are adequate for detecting rare pathogenic variants in a clinically unselected population. DESIGN Retrospective, population based diagnostic evaluation. PARTICIPANTS 49 908 people recruited to the UK Biobank with SNP chip and next generation sequencing data, and an additional 21 people who purchased consumer genetic tests and shared their data online via the Personal Genome Project. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Genotyping (that is, identification of the correct DNA base at a specific genomic location) using SNP chips versus sequencing, with results split by frequency of that genotype in the population. Rare pathogenic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were selected as an exemplar for detailed analysis of clinically actionable variants in the UK Biobank, and BRCA related cancers (breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic) were assessed in participants through use of cancer registry data. RESULTS Overall, genotyping using SNP chips performed well compared with sequencing; sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were all above 99% for 108 574 common variants directly genotyped on the SNP chips and sequenced in the UK Biobank. However, the likelihood of a true positive result decreased dramatically with decreasing variant frequency; for variants that are very rare in the population, with a frequency below 0.001% in UK Biobank, the positive predictive value was very low and only 16% of 4757 heterozygous genotypes from the SNP chips were confirmed with sequencing data. Results were similar for SNP chip data from the Personal Genome Project, and 20/21 individuals analysed had at least one false positive rare pathogenic variant that had been incorrectly genotyped. For pathogenic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are individually very rare, the overall performance metrics for the SNP chips versus sequencing in the UK Biobank were: sensitivity 34.6%, specificity 98.3%, positive predictive value 4.2%, and negative predictive value 99.9%. Rates of BRCA related cancers in UK Biobank participants with a positive SNP chip result were similar to those for age matched controls (odds ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.71) because the vast majority of variants were false positives, whereas sequence positive participants had a significantly increased risk (odds ratio 4.05, 2.72 to 6.03). CONCLUSIONS SNP chips are extremely unreliable for genotyping very rare pathogenic variants and should not be used to guide health decisions without validation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weedon Mn
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Jackson L
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Harrison Jw
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Ruth Ks
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Tyrrell J
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Hattersley At
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Wright Cf
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Burke S, Mork M, Qualmann K, Woodson A, Jin Ha M, Arun B, Kaulfus M. Genetic counselor approaches to BRCA1/2 direct-to-consumer genetic testing results. J Genet Couns 2021; 30:803-812. [PMID: 33550665 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends clinical-grade genetic testing to confirm commercial results from direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) companies and third-party interpretation (TPI) services; however, the type of confirmatory testing that genetic counselors (GCs) recommend remains uncharacterized. Therefore, we aimed to describe GCs testing strategies for patients who have already obtained DTC-GT results (23andMe) or TPI data (Promethease) that reported a BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant. We invited GCs specializing in clinical cancer genetics to complete an online survey distributed to members of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. The survey, completed by 80 respondents, contained case scenarios featuring probands with variable personal and family histories of cancer. Our results show that the majority of participating GCs have counseled patients for their health-related commercial test results; 94% have encountered patient DTC-GT reports (3 per year), and 69% have encountered patient TPI data (2 per year). Most participating GCs would recommend confirmatory clinical-grade testing for probands with a positive 23andMe BRCA1/2 result (77/80, 96%). However, there was strong variability between the type of recommended testing. Approximately 20% recommended single-site analysis, 11%-14% recommended the three Ashkenazi Jewish BRCA1/2 founder mutations, 4% recommended BRCA1/2 testing, and 61%-64% recommended multi-gene panel testing. The most commonly recommended panels were split between a breast and gynecological cancer-focused panel and a broad pan-cancer panel. The majority of participants (98%-100%) would also recommend confirmatory testing for patients with positive TPI data for BRCA1/2. Similarly, results were mixed between those who recommended targeted, single-site analysis (10%-15%) compared to a multi-gene panel (72%-83%). These data show that while most GCs were uniform in their practice of recommending confirmatory testing, they are mixed in their approach to the specific type of testing they would select. These results may help inform counseling approaches and consensus for this expanding group of patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Burke
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Genetic Risk Assessment Service, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Maureen Mork
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krista Qualmann
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Min Jin Ha
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Banu Arun
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meagan Kaulfus
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Clayton EW, Appelbaum PS, Chung WK, Marchant GE, Roberts JL, Evans BJ. Does the law require reinterpretation and return of revised genomic results? Genet Med 2021; 23:833-836. [PMID: 33420344 PMCID: PMC8107115 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-020-01065-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Wright Clayton
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. .,School of Law, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Paul S Appelbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gary E Marchant
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Jessica L Roberts
- University of Houston Law Center, Houston, TX, USA.,University of Houston College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barbara J Evans
- University of Florida Levin College of Law, Gainesville, FL, USA.,University of Florida Wertheim College of Engineering, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu X, Cragun D, Pang J, Adapa SR, Fonseca R, Jiang RHY. False Alarms in Consumer Genomics Add to Public Fear and Potential Health Care Burden. J Pers Med 2020; 10:jpm10040187. [PMID: 33113957 PMCID: PMC7712761 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We have entered an era of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomics. Patients have relayed many success stories of DTC genomics about finding causal mutations of genetic diseases before showing any symptoms and taking precautions. However, consumers may also take unnecessary medical actions based on false alarms of “pathogenic alleles”. The severity of this problem is not well known. Using publicly available data, we compared DTC microarray genotyping data with deep-sequencing data of 5 individuals and manually checked each inconsistently reported single nucleotide variants (SNVs). We estimated that, on average, a person would have ~5 “pathogenic” alleles reported due to wrongly reported genotypes if using a 23andMe genotyping microarray. We also found that the number of wrongly classified “pathogenic” alleles per person is at least as significant as those due to wrongly reported genotypes. We show that the scale of the false alarm problem could be large enough that the medical costs will become a burden to public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Liu
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; (D.C.); (J.P.); (S.R.A.); (R.H.Y.J.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Deborah Cragun
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; (D.C.); (J.P.); (S.R.A.); (R.H.Y.J.)
| | - Jinyong Pang
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; (D.C.); (J.P.); (S.R.A.); (R.H.Y.J.)
| | - Swamy R. Adapa
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; (D.C.); (J.P.); (S.R.A.); (R.H.Y.J.)
| | - Renee Fonseca
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Rays H. Y. Jiang
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; (D.C.); (J.P.); (S.R.A.); (R.H.Y.J.)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Identifying rare, medically relevant variation via population-based genomic screening in Alabama: opportunities and pitfalls. Genet Med 2020; 23:280-288. [PMID: 32989269 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-020-00976-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness and specificity of population-based genomic screening in Alabama. METHODS The Alabama Genomic Health Initiative (AGHI) has enrolled and evaluated 5369 participants for the presence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants using the Illumina Global Screening Array (GSA), with validation of all P/LP variants via Sanger sequencing in a CLIA-certified laboratory before return of results. RESULTS Among 131 variants identified by the GSA that were evaluated by Sanger sequencing, 67 (51%) were false positives (FP). For 39 of the 67 FP variants, a benign/likely benign variant was present at or near the targeted P/LP variant. Variants detected within African American individuals were significantly enriched for FPs, likely due to a higher rate of nontargeted alternative alleles close to array-targeted P/LP variants. CONCLUSION In AGHI, we have implemented an array-based process to screen for highly penetrant genetic variants in actionable disease genes. We demonstrate the need for clinical validation of array-identified variants in direct-to-consumer or population testing, especially for diverse populations.
Collapse
|
22
|
Millward M, Tiller J, Bogwitz M, Kincaid H, Taylor S, Trainer AH, Lacaze P. Impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing on Australian clinical genetics services. Eur J Med Genet 2020; 63:103968. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2020.103968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
23
|
The double-edged sword of digital self-care: Physician perspectives from Northern Germany. Soc Sci Med 2020; 260:113174. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
24
|
Greely HT. The Future of DTC Genomics and the Law. THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS 2020; 48:151-160. [PMID: 32342782 PMCID: PMC7394665 DOI: 10.1177/1073110520917003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Direct-to-Consumer ("DTC") genomics has been a controversial topic for over a decade. Much work has been done on the legal issues it raises. This article asks a different question: What will DTC genomics and its legal issues look like in ten to twenty years? After discussing the five current uses of DTC genomics, it describes three current legal issues: medical uses, privacy of genomic information, and privacy in collection and analysis of human DNA. It then suggests that changes in human genomics and how it is used will make the first of those DTC genomics legal issues less important in the future, but that the third will be increasingly significant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henry T Greely
- Henry T. Greely, J.D., is the Deane F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law, Professor by Courtesy of Genetics, and Director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford University
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
The number of companies offering direct-to-consumer genetic tests is increasing. There is growing concern over whether direct-to-consumer genetic companies should be allowed to offer clinically relevant testing that has only been possible under medical care. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing can be incomplete, inaccurate, and inappropriate. The usefulness of such testing is extremely limited and it is unclear how well customers understand reported results. Research on the long-term impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing is necessary to determine if stricter regulations regarding the performance of direct-to-consumer genetic testing are necessary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Petersen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Joel A Lefferts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
A Review of the Emergence and Expansion of Cardiovascular Genetic Counseling. CURRENT CARDIOVASCULAR RISK REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12170-019-0631-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
27
|
|
28
|
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing with third party interpretation: beware of spurious results. Emerg Top Life Sci 2019; 3:669-674. [DOI: 10.1042/etls20190059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests aim to provide insights into issues as varied as ancestry, nutrition, athletic ability and child talent, and some also report on disease risks. DTC companies tend to present their tests as uniformly beneficial, but the quality of the information they provide can be doubtful. Tests often invite people to step between territories, from the consumer in search of ‘fun’ information to potential patient, and the boundaries between these roles become even murkier when individuals explore the raw data from their DTC tests using third-party interpretation websites. We discuss two composite cases from U.K. genetics centres where patients used third party interpretation services to analyse raw data from DTC genetic tests. They then presented to NHS clinical services requesting interventions based on the disease-associated variants found, only to find that these variants were not actually present: their ‘pathogenic results’ were spurious. We highlight the risk of false positives (as well as false negatives) from DTC genetic tests, and discuss whether these cases represent the start of a worrying trend, where publicly funded clinicians and clinical scientists increasingly need to spend time and money investigating genetic results of dubious validity.
Collapse
|
29
|
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Horton
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Gillian Crawford
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Angela Fenwick
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
| | | | - Anneke Lucassen
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Who’s on third? Regulation of third-party genetic interpretation services. Genet Med 2019; 22:4-11. [DOI: 10.1038/s41436-019-0627-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
|
31
|
Nelson SC, Bowen DJ, Fullerton SM. Third-Party Genetic Interpretation Tools: A Mixed-Methods Study of Consumer Motivation and Behavior. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 105:122-131. [PMID: 31204012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In an effort to meet ethical obligations and/or participant expectations, researchers may consider offering "raw" or uninterpreted genetic data for result return. It is therefore important to understand the motivations, behaviors, and perspectives of individuals who might choose to access raw data before such return becomes routine. In the direct-to-consumer (DTC) context, where raw data are often made available to customers, the use of third-party interpretation tools has raised concerns about genotype accuracy, data privacy, reliability of interpretation, and consumption of limited health care resources. However, relatively little is known about why individuals access raw data or what they do with the information received from third-party interpretation. Accordingly, we conducted a survey on raw data access and third-party tool usage among 1,137 DTC customers recruited through social media. Most survey respondents (89%) reported downloading their raw data. Among downloaders, 94% used at least one tool, most commonly Promethease (63%) or GEDmatch (84%). More than half (56%) used both health-related and non-health-related tools and differed significantly from those who used only one tool type in terms of demographics, participation in research, DTC tests ordered, and testing motivations. Exploratory interviews were conducted with 10 respondents and illustrated how social networking, initial lack of interesting findings, and general curiosity contributed to use of multiple tool types. These results suggest that even when initially motivated by ancestry and genealogy, consumers frequently also pursue health information in a largely unregulated and expanding suite of third-party tools, raising both challenges and opportunities for the professional genetics community.
Collapse
|
32
|
Crawford DC, Cooke Bailey JN, Briggs FBS. Mind the gap: resources required to receive, process and interpret research-returned whole genome data. Hum Genet 2019; 138:691-701. [PMID: 31161416 PMCID: PMC6767905 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-019-02033-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Most genotype-phenotype studies have historically lacked population diversity, impacting the generalizability of findings and thereby limiting the ability to equitably implement precision medicine. This well-documented problem has generated much interest in the ascertainment of new cohorts with an emphasis on multiple dimensions of diversity, including race/ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status, disability, and geography. The most well known of these new cohort efforts is arguably All of Us, formerly known as the Precision Medicine Cohort Initiative Program. All of Us intends to ascertain at least one million participants in the United States representative of the multiple dimensions of diversity. As an incentive to participate, All of Us is offering the return of research results, including whole genome sequencing data, as well as the opportunity to contribute to the scientific process as non-scientists. The scale and scope of the proposed return of research results are unprecedented. Here, we briefly review possible return of genetic data models, including the likely data file formats and modes of data transfer or access. We also review the resources required to access and interpret the genetic or genomic data once received by the average participant, highlighting the nuanced anticipated barriers that will challenge both the digitally, computationally literate and illiterate participant alike. This inventory of resources required to receive, process, and interpret return of research results exposes the potential for access disparities and warns the scientific community to mind the gap so that all participants have equal access and understanding of the benefits of human genetic research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana C Crawford
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road. Wolstein Research Building, Suite 2-527, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Jessica N Cooke Bailey
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road. Wolstein Research Building, Suite 2-527, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Farren B S Briggs
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road. Wolstein Research Building, Suite 2-527, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Genomic tests offer increased opportunity for diagnosis, but their outputs are often uncertain and complex; results may need to be revised and/or may not be relevant until some future time. We discuss the challenges that this presents for consent and autonomy. RECENT FINDINGS Popular discourse around genomic testing tends to be strongly deterministic and optimistic, yet many findings from genomic tests are uncertain or unclear. Clinical conversations need to anticipate and potentially challenge unrealistic expectations of what a genomic test can deliver in order to enhance autonomy and ensure that consent to genomic testing is valid. SUMMARY We conclude that 'fully informed' consent is often not possible in the context of genomic testing, but that an open-ended approach is appropriate. We consider that such broad consent can only work if located within systems or organisations that are trustworthy and that have measures in place to ensure that such open-ended agreements are not abused. We suggest that a relational concept of autonomy has benefits in encouraging focus on the networks and relationships that allow decision making to flourish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Horton
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD UK
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, SO16 5YA UK
| | - Anneke Lucassen
- Clinical Ethics and Law at Southampton (CELS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD UK
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, SO16 5YA UK
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Horton RH, Lucassen AM. Recent developments in genetic/genomic medicine. Clin Sci (Lond) 2019; 133:697-708. [PMID: 30837331 PMCID: PMC6399103 DOI: 10.1042/cs20180436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Advances in genetic technology are having a major impact in the clinic, and mean that many perceptions of the role and scope of genetic testing are having to change. Genomic testing brings with it a greater opportunity for diagnosis, or predictions of future diagnoses, but also an increased chance of uncertain or unexpected findings, many of which may have impacts for multiple members of a person's family. In the past, genetic testing was rarely able to provide rapid results, but the increasing speed and availability of genomic testing is changing this, meaning that genomic information is increasingly influencing decisions around patient care in the acute inpatient setting. The landscape of treatment options for genetic conditions is shifting, which has evolving implications for clinical discussions around previously untreatable disorders. Furthermore, the point of access to testing is changing with increasing provision direct to the consumer outside the formal healthcare setting. This review outlines the ways in which genetic medicine is developing in light of technological advances.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel H Horton
- Clinical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Anneke M Lucassen
- Clinical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Du L, Becher SI. Genetic and Genomic Consultation: Are We Ready for Direct-to-Consumer Telegenetics? Front Genet 2018; 9:550. [PMID: 30559758 PMCID: PMC6287034 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Telegenetics, the application of telemedicine in the context of genetic services, is a growing market. One of the recent developments in this field is the use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing to promote and advertise genetic and genomic consultant services to consumers. Using Google.com, we identified providers that promote their telegenetics services online. By analyzing their websites, we identify and examine key points regarding DTC telegenetics: how are telegenetics services portrayed, how is informed consent obtained, and what protections are offered to clients' personal health information? We found that the portrayal of a wide range of telegenetics services on providers' websites is extremely positive. The risks associated with the implementation of telegenetics were rarely mentioned. Consent forms were often unavailable and did not cover all of the relevant information. The measures for protecting clients' personal health information by telegenetics providers were found to be generally inadequate and weak. We concluded that DTC telegenetics may increase patients' access to genetic counseling with affordable costs. However, before further developing DTC telegenetics, more research and regulatory improvements are required to guarantee truthful advertising, ensure informed consent, secure personal health data sharing, and warrant adequate privacy protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Du
- Faculty of Law, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Shmuel I. Becher
- School of Accounting and Commercial Law, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Helm BM, Ayers MD, Kean AC. All Along the Watchtower: a Case of Long QT Syndrome Misdiagnosis Secondary to Genetic Testing Misinterpretation. J Genet Couns 2018; 27:1515-1522. [DOI: 10.1007/s10897-018-0287-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|