The impact of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing on genetic counseling sessions and primary care physicians

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies offer genetic testing to the public without requiring physician prescriptions or genetic counseling. The purpose of this study was to determine if genetic counselors and primary care physicians are being questioned by patients about DTC genetic testing, if patients are making accurate statements during the discussion, and if primary care physicians feel prepared for these discussions. Data was collected from the two study groups using online, multiple choice surveys hosted by surveymonkey.com. The study found that a significant number of genetic counselors (50%) and primary care physicians (25%) have had patient discussions about DTC genetic testing. Most primary care physicians feel unprepared and most patients make inaccurate statements during the discussion. The majority of both study groups agree a healthcare professional should be required in the DTC genetic testing process, though physicians were more likely to agree if they had personally experienced a patient discussion.