Precision Medicine Hinges On Access To Genetic Counselors
Health Affairs October 22, 2024
The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of nearly a dozen gene therapies in the past year, including milestone treatments for sickle cell disease and hemophilia B, has finally ushered in the era of precision medicine. Yet, the United States remains unprepared to welcome this new chapter in health care.
The barriers to the full adoption of precision medicine are not confined to prohibitive costs, insurance complexities, and other expected health care system hurdles. An undervalued factor in the uptake of precision medicine is the system’s capability to connect patients to treatment. This is hindered by insufficient access to genetic health care in the United States, where genetic counselors play a leading role. For example, there is fewer than one full-time...