Genetic counselling is a medical genetic consultation that aims to help you understand the implications related to the genetic risks associated with your medical and family history.
There are different fields of practice, such as cancer genetics for the assessment of the risk of hereditary cancers, prenatal genetics for the management of pregnancies with a genetic risk, or even preconception counselling to help with reproductive planning in terms of the risks to future children.
Contrary to popular belief, genetic counselling doesn’t automatically mean you will have genetic testing. When there is a medical referral, targeted genetic testing can be coordinated to confirm a diagnosis or to evaluate certain risks. However, in certain situations, genetic testing may not even be available or may not be helpful. Your genetic counsellor will explain this to you and help you understand the next steps.
A fast process
Although most university hospital centers or tertiary centres have medical genetic departments that provide genetic counselling services, the access to counselling or testing can sometimes take several months or even several years depending on the indication. These delays can sometimes be harmful on your health care or your reproductive decisions.
Our private genetic counselling service provides rapid access to an appointment with a certified genetic counsellor. We ensure that our team is available to meet your needs, without a waiting list. If genetic testing is indicated and you have a medical referral, you will have access to the results as quickly as possible.
Easy access
Our objective is to serve the Canadian population, French- and English-speaking, including those who do not live in a major city and do not have easy access to these types of services. Unlike standard medical consultations, which generally require one or more trips to a clinic or a hospital centre, all our appointments are offered by telehealth (videoconference or telephone). This allows easy access to care that does not conflict with your professional or family obligations and reduces the impact of travel.
If genetic testing is indicated following genetic counselling, in most cases this can be done in the comfort of your home using a saliva collection kit that will be sent to you, allowing for a quicker service with no wait or delays in collection centers.
Comprehensive care
Our genetic counselling sessions last up to one hour to provide personalized care tailored to your needs and values. Genetic counselling is necessary before going ahead with any genetic testing to assess what testing would be appropriate, discuss the implications and limitations, and assist you in making an informed decision. Follow-up genetic counselling is included for every test to discuss the implications of the results specific to your situation and to accompany you in the next steps. A detailed report with the results and their interpretation will be sent to you and to your referring doctor to facilitate follow-up.
Quality service
We are committed to respecting the best clinical practices to offer clinical expertise personalized to your personal and family history. Only relevant testing whose results could have a significant impact on your health and that of your family members will be offered depending on your clinical situation. In addition, we coordinate reliable medical testing through clinical laboratories, using technologies similar or superior to those used in the public system (in contrast with recreational testing offered directly to consumers).
Additional options
Although most of the options discussed during your genetic counselling appointment are similar to those offered in the public system, there are also unique testing options that are currently only available privately. This is particularly the case of the expanded carrier screening test, which helps to assess the genetic risks for your children by screening for several hundred genetic conditions. This is available before a pregnancy (preconception, recommended) or during a pregnancy (prenatal), and can also help in the choice of an egg or sperm donor for those in fertility treatment.