SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Counsyl, a DNA testing and genetic counseling service, invites women’s health providers to learn more about evolving guidelines and exciting new developments in genetic carrier screening at booth #1223 at the 2017 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting.
At the meeting Counsyl will discuss upgrades to our flagship carrier screening product, the Family Prep Screen, to further improve our industry-leading at-risk couple detection rate for serious conditions to 2.4 percent, which reflects a 16 percent increase over the prior detection rate. Counsyl’s Family Prep Screen includes a panel design that maximizes coverage for the most prevalent serious genetic disorders, with unmatched detection rates greater than 99 percent for the vast majority of genes on the panel.
In 2017, ACOG has issued three new committee opinions relevant to Counsyl’s business and the providers and patients we serve. In March 2017, ACOG issued guidance recognizing expanded carrier screening (ECS) as an acceptable strategy for prepregnancy and prenatal carrier screening for patients. The pioneer and US market leader in expanded carrier screening, Counsyl, published the largest, most diverse expanded carrier screening study to date in the Journal of the American Medical Association, supporting the clinical value of ECS.
In April 2017, ACOG also issued new guidance for pretest and posttest counseling and communication of genetic test results. Since 2009, Counsyl has supported physicians with a comprehensive suite of services, created to streamline workflow and allow providers to seamlessly incorporate genetic testing into practice. These services include patient education tools and transparent reporting to facilitate pretest and posttest counseling, automated results delivery to ensure the timely disclosure of test results, and on-demand genetic counseling to ensure that patients understand the meaning of their results. Designed to put more time back into the day of the busy practitioner, Counsyl’s service platform facilitates the integration of DNA screening into clinics efficiently, so providers can stay focused on patient care.
“Counsyl strongly supports the new guidance on carrier screening, as well as, counseling and the communication of test results from ACOG,” said James Goldberg, MD, chief medical officer at Counsyl. “At this year’s meeting, we’ll provide key guidance and resources for physicians seeking to interpret and implement these guidelines.”
On Sunday, May 7, Counsyl will host a product theater designed to answer questions about how new carrier screening guidelines can impact day-to-day clinical practice (5:15 - 6:30pm, Room 14AB, San Diego Convention Center). The session, entitled “Evolving Guidelines in Carrier Screening: Adopting an Expanded Approach,” will feature Lee. P. Shulman, MD, FACOG, FACMG, Anna Ross Lapham professor in OB/GYN and chief of clinical genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Jamie Kostialik, MS, CGC, medical science liaison, Counsyl. Together, they will cover:
- Evidence supporting the clinical utility of ECS
- Considerations in carrier screening panel design
- Technology that maximizes detection of at-risk couples
- Strategies for incorporating ECS into routine patient care
Counsyl will also host award-winning journalist and author, Bonnie Rochman, who will be signing and giving away complimentary copies of her new book, The Gene Machine: How Genetic Technologies Are Changing the Way We Have Kids - and the Kids We Have in the Counsyl booth between 10:00am - 12:30pm and 2:00pm - 4:00pm on May 7 and 8.
About Counsyl
Counsyl provides a DNA testing and genetic counseling service. We're committed to helping patients understand their DNA and how this knowledge can inform important health decisions. Whether it’s starting a family or evaluating risk for cancer, Counsyl's DNA tests provide patients with early awareness about genetic conditions, so they can live informed and prepare for the future. Counsyl has screened more than 750,000 patients and served more than 10,000 healthcare professionals. For more information, visit www.counsyl.com. Sign up to receive Counsyl news notifications at subscribe.counsyl.com.
