HUM-MOLGEN archive: ETHI: genetic counselors

Three more valuable contributions to this discussion ****************************************************** Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 09:12:03 -0400 From: Ian McIntosh <imcintos@WELCHLINK.WELCH.JHU.EDU> The Dutch system certainly appear to be the best controlled and most equitable. It is a pity that people in the US will not be able to benefit from such a system since this society seems unwilling to adopt healthcare distributed on the basis of need rather than ability to pay. Iain McIntosh, PhD Johns Hopkins University **************************************************** In New Zealand, we have only two qualified Clinical Geneticists, soon to rise to three (I believe). There are only 2 counsellors for the whole country. With a population of 3.5 million, and the WHO recommendation of a minimum of 1 Clinical Geneticist per 0.5 million, we are short by at least 5. This is a desparate shortage, and the key problem seems to be that in our radically reformed health funding system few hospitals (or Crown Health Enterprises, as they are now known) seem willing to make the investment in genetic services. This is partly due to myopic management systems and poorly defined funding arrangements, but also due to a lack of appreciation by many clinicians of the need for Clinical Geneticists and Counsellors. The Clinical Geneticists we have are both overseas trained, and assuming we can convince the appropriate parties that our genetic services are headed for 3rd-world status unless something is done rapidly, then we will continue to depend on overseas training programs to fill this need - as I suspect is the case for many small countries. It is interesting that in discussions about the shortage of qualified staff here, the comment is frequently made that even if you can get funding for a position, it is unlikely you will be able to fill it due to a world-wide shortage of geneticists. Perhaps that is not the case....? Are there any unemployed geneticists/counsellors out there? Cheers, Martin NNNN NN Martin A Kennedy (E-mail = mkennedy@chmeds.ac.nz) ZZZZZZZ NN NN NN Cytogenetic and Molecular Oncology Unit ZZZ NN NN NN Christchurch School of Medicine ZZZ NN NNNN Christchurch, New Zealand ZZZZZZZ Phone (64-3)364-0880 Fax (64-3)364-0750 ************************************************************************* Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 09:07:49 -0700 From: Robert Resta <bc928@SCN.ORG> Reagarding Isa Samuels question about the qualifications of genetic counselors: In the US, all genetic counseling training programs provide intense training in genetics as well as counseling. In addition, genetic counselors must pass the same board examination in medical genetics as MDs and PHDs. And certainly the genetic knowledge base of genetic counselors exceeds that of virtually all non-geneticist physicians and nurses. Ignoring the social and psychological impact of genetic information upon individuals and their families is, at best, bad medical practice and at worst borders on medical malpractice. For better or worse, genetics is playing an increasingly important role in medical care. Expansion of genetic counseling services in the medical care system is urgent. Whether governments and health care companies decide to pay for such services remains to be seen.