INVITED COMMENTARY From genetic counseling to “genomic counseling”

Genetic counseling is “the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease.” Traditionally, this process includes collecting and inter-preting the family and medical history, risk assessment, a comprehensive educational process for potential genetic testing, informed consent, and psychosocial assessment and support (National Society of Genetic Counselors’ Definition Task Force et al. 2006). While genetic counsel-ing falls within the scope of many health care profession-als, clinical geneticists (physicians) and masters level genetic counselors have been working in the United States for more than 40 years, providing genetic counseling primarily for single-gene conditions. Debate about what “genomic counseling ” will include and who will practic