title: Next generation sequencing--implications for clinical practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic testing in inherited disease has traditionally relied upon recognition of the presenting clinical syndrome and targeted analysis of genes known to be linked to that syndrome. Consequently, many patients with genetic syndromes remain without a specific diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  New 'next-generation' sequencing (NGS) techniques permit simultaneous sequencing of enormous amounts of DNA. A slew of research publications have recently demonstrated the tremendous power of these technologies in increasing understanding of human genetic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These approaches are likely to be increasingly employed in routine diagnostic practice, but the scale of the genetic information yielded about individuals means that caution must be exercised to avoid net harm in this setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of NGS in a research setting will increasingly have a major but indirect beneficial impact on clinical practice. However, important technical, ethical and social challenges need to be addressed through informed professional and public dialogue before it finds its mature niche as a direct tool in the clinical diagnostic armoury.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raffan
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Semple
mesh_terms: D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D059472:Exome / Q000235:genetics; D005544:Forecasting; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D036281:Genetic Research / Q000941:ethics; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000235:genetics; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*