Barbara B. Biesecker

TL;DR: The Genetic Counseling Definition Task Force of the National Society of Genetic Counselors developed the following definition of genetic counseling that was approved by the NSGC Board of Directors: genetic counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease.

TL;DR: Standard educational approaches may be equally effective as expanded counseling approaches in enhancing knowledge and standard education may be adequate in situations where genetic testing must be streamlined.

TL;DR: This work has identified several families that show linkage between breast and/or ovarian cancer and genetic markers that flank BRCA1 and developed a protocol to address the many issues that arise in the delivery of these services.

TL;DR: The task force recommends that informed consent for cancer susceptibility testing be an ongoing process of education and counseling in which providers elicit participant, family, and community values and disclose their own.

TL;DR: This mini‐review recommends use of genetic counseling sub‐specialties as a framework for considering different client needs and thus different counseling goals and specific aims in the reproductive, pediatric/adult, and common disease settings.