Table 2 Benefits of ECS advertised by providers
From: A systematic analysis of online marketing materials used by providers of expanded carrier screening
Benefit (no. and percentage of providers that mentioned it; n = 18) | Illustrative quotes (provider, medium) |
|---|---|
Importance in family planning (17; 94%) | “Knowing your carrier status is important when having children. If you and your partner are both carriers, you may have a child with the condition.” (23andMe, website text) |
“Learning about which genetic disease you are a carrier for before pregnancy allows you to take steps to plan for your future family.” (Viafet, website text) | |
“If you find out you both carry irregularities in the same gene before you get pregnant, or early in your pregnancy, you’ll have the time to work with your healthcare provider to consider your options and make choices that feel right for you.” (Counsyl, website text) | |
“Knowing your genetic carrier status is one of the most important things you can do to prepare for parenthood.” (Progenity, information video voiceover) | |
“CGT Igenomix—the most responsible way to plan your family.” (Igenomix, information video voiceover) | |
Identifying “hidden” risks (6; 33%) | “[Genetic] disorders can stay hidden in a family for generations. The only way to find out if you are a carrier is to have genetic carrier screening.” (Progenity, information video voiceover) |
“Even healthy individuals with no family history of a specific condition and previous healthy children may be a carrier of a genetic disease that can be passed on to their baby.” (Sequenom, website text)“We all carry something – which is why we need carrier screening.” (Sequenom, information brochure) | |
Reassurance of a healthy child (3; 17%) | “We want to emphasize that for many people, indeed the majority, the results of preconception testing will provide reassurance as well as potentially important information. Most couples will learn that a potential pregnancy would have a reduced risk for the abnormalities being screened.” (Insight Medical Genetics, website text) |
Therapeutic benefits for the affected child (3; 17%) | “[InheriGen] Identifies babies at risk, and provides necessary preparation for delivery management and the ability to optimize postnatal care of the newborn.” (GenPath Diagnostics, website text) |
Improving prenatal care (3; 17%) | “[InheriGen] Provides you with information to help optimize pregnancy outcomes.” (GenPath Diagnostics, website text) |
Personal health benefits (2; 11%) | “Knowing if you are a carrier of a specific genetic disease can help you, whether with family planning or your own medical care, or both.” (Natera, video voiceover) |
