title: Adverse events in cancer genetic testing: medical, ethical, legal, and financial implications.
abstract: Cancer genetic counseling and testing are now integral services in progressive cancer care. There has been much debate over whether these services should be delivered by providers with specialized training in genetics or by all clinicians. Adverse outcomes resulting from cancer genetic counseling and testing performed by clinicians without specialization in genetics have been reported, but formal documentation is sparse. In this review, we present a series of national cases illustrating major patterns of errors in cancer genetic counseling and testing and the resulting impact on medical liability, health care costs, and the patients and their families.
authors: Cancer Genetic Counseling, Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. karina.brierley@yale.edu
authors: Karina L
authors: KL
authors: Brierley
authors: Erica
authors: E
authors: Blouch
authors: Whitney
authors: W
authors: Cogswell
authors: Jeanne P
authors: JP
authors: Homer
authors: Debbie
authors: D
authors: Pencarinha
authors: Christine L
authors: CL
authors: Stanislaw
authors: Ellen T
authors: ET
authors: Matloff
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D019300:Medical Errors; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures