Findings from genetic testing may or may not impact your health. Findings that do not affect your health are generally related to traits, such as hair texture or ancestry. Medically actionable findings impact your health because they are in specific “medically actionable” genes. Findings in these genes are related to health conditions with known medical recommendations for healthcare providers to act upon (“actionable”) with their patients. Medically actionable findings are validated by using a test method validated for clinical purposes in a laboratory that is certified to perform this test.
The American College of Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommends that findings in 59 medically actionable genes be reported to patients and individuals since medical care decisions can be made based upon these findings. Many of these genes are related to inherited forms of cancer and heart conditions. After learning about medically actionable findings, you can speak to a board-certified genetic expert to determine how they may impact you and your family’s health.
