What if based on your family history and genetic information you could assess your risk of an inherited condition, such as a genetic disorder?
 
Genetic counselors are health care professionals who have specialized education and training in the field of medical genetics. Using family history and genetic information, a genetic counselor will assess individual or family risk and give patients information about how genetic conditions might affect them or their family. This panel will explore how genetic counselling currently works in British Columbia and the future opportunities for our healthcare system.  What are the opportunities of genetic counselling and how would BC benefit from this service? Are there any international examples that have been successful? Which are some of the challenges to reach the full potential of genetic counselling? A family physician who is already using this service will share his experience and discuss with a leading academic expert, a senior policymaker, and a PhD student and genetic counselor.
 
Genome BC held two policy foresight workshops on this topic, one internal and one at the Canadian Science Policy Conference in Ottawa. The results of these workshops will be synthesized and shared with the audience.