2021 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting - Product Theaters-Reducing disparities and inequities in reproductive health via expanded carrier screening

Reducing disparities and inequities in reproductive health via expanded carrier screening

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Aishwarya Arjunan, a genetic counselor and senior clinical product manager at Myriad Women's Health, discusses the importance of reducing disparities in reproductive health through expanded carrier screening. Healthcare disparities are defined as differences in access to medical facilities and services, disease occurrence rates, and disabilities among different population groups based on socioeconomic characteristics. Arjunan highlights how guidelines, practices, and insurance coverage are preventing people from obtaining the necessary information about their carrier status. She emphasizes the need to move away from ethnicity-based screening and towards expanded carrier screening that is more inclusive and accurate. Arjunan discusses the challenges associated with selecting the right genes for screening panels, the importance of accurate variant interpretation, and the need for collaboration among providers, laboratories, payers, and patients to achieve health equity. She also mentions the advancements made in non-invasive prenatal screening for patients with high BMI. Arjunan urges the genetics community to work together to address gaps in care and improve access to equitable care for all patients.

Asset Subtitle

Myriad Genetics

Keywords

reproductive health

expanded carrier screening

healthcare disparities

ethnicity-based screening

health equity