BURLINGTON, Vt., Nov. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Vermont Health Network has begun a
pilot project to offer Genomic DNA Testing to patients as part of
their clinical care. The pilot program is the beginning of an
effort to increase the integration of genetic disease risks into
routine medical care, which holds promise for providing Vermonters
with valuable information to guide their health decisions.
"Our overall health and longevity are determined about 30
percent by genetics," said Debra
Leonard, MD, PhD, Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
"But until now, most of our clinical health care decisions have
been made without understanding the differences in each
individual's DNA that could help guide those decisions."
Patients who choose to get the Genomic DNA Test can learn about
differences in their DNA that make certain diseases more likely,
such as cancer and heart disease. Knowing these
genetically-determined disease risks may help patients and health
care providers adjust their care to keep people as healthy as
possible. While genetic testing to identify the cause of a
patient's symptoms to reach a diagnosis is now common in health
care, proactive genomic testing to identify health risks across a
population is just beginning to be considered, and most projects
are being done only in the research setting.
The UVM Health Network is partnering with Invitae and LunaPBC on
the pilot project. Invitae will provide information for 147 genes
that are well-established indicators of increased risk for certain
diseases for which clinical treatment guidelines are established.
The test also screens for carrier status for other diseases.
Follow-up testing for family members will be provided when
appropriate.
"Nearly 1 in 6 healthy individuals exhibits a genetic variant
for which instituting or altering medical management is warranted,"
said Robert Nussbaum, MD, Chief
Medical Officer of Invitae. "Genetic screening like the Genomic DNA
Test in a population health setting can help identify these risk
factors so clinicians can better align disease management and
prevention strategies for each patient."
The UVM Health Network is offering the Genomic DNA Test as part
of clinical care, but health and genomic data can also help
researchers learn more about health and disease. Patients who get
the test can consent to securely share their data with researchers
through LunaDNA, partner LunaPBC's sharing platform. LunaDNA
provides patients with the opportunity to share their genomic and
electronic health record information to advance health and disease
management research. In the future, patients will also be able to
share lifestyle, environment, and nutrition data. Shared data
is de-identified and aggregated during studies to protect
the privacy of each patient while being used to answer important
medical research questions.
"Vermonters who choose to share their genomic data for research
will play a leading role in the advancement of precision medicine,"
said Dawn Barry, LunaPBC President
and Co-founder. "This effort puts patients first to create a
virtuous cycle for research that doesn't sacrifice patients'
control or privacy. We are proud to bring our values as a
public benefit corporation and community-owned platform to this
partnership."
Dr. Leonard spoke about the project, the UVM Health Network's
partnership with LunaPBC and Invitae, and the role of genomics in
population health on Monday at the Santa Fe Foundation's Clinical
Lab 2.0 Workshop in Chicago, a
national conference at which pathologists and healthcare leaders
from across the country share ways that pathology can be integral
to improving population health.
"Vermont and other states are
moving away from 'fee-for-service' health care and toward a system
that emphasizes prevention, keeping people healthy and treating
illness at its earliest stages," Dr. Leonard said. "Integrating
genetic risks into clinical care will help patients and providers
in their decision-making."
The pilot project began on Friday,
November 1, when the first patient agreed to have the test.
During the pilot stage of the project over the next year, the
Genomic DNA Test will be offered to approximately 1,000 patients
over the next year who: are at least 18 years old; receive their
primary care from a participating UVM Health Network Family
Medicine provider; are not currently pregnant or the partner of
someone who is currently pregnant; and are part of the OneCare
Vermont Accountable Care Organization (ACO), a care coordination
and quality improvement organization.
Patients do not have to pay for the test or for discussions with
the UVM Health Network's Genomic Medicine Resource Center's genetic
counselors before and after testing. The test uses a small amount
of blood, and focuses on the parts of a patient's DNA that most
affect health and health care. Results will go into each patient's
medical record, protected like all medical information, and
available to the patient and all of their health care
providers.
"Much work has gone into getting ready to start this project and
it has taken an entire team," Dr. Leonard said. "Providers from
Family Medicine, Cardiology, the Familial Cancer Program, Medical
Genetics and Pathology, patient and family advisors, ethics and
regulatory compliance leaders, Planning, Finance and OneCare
Vermont have all worked together to get us across the start line
for this initiative."
Patients should be aware that the UVM Health Network will never
call them on the phone to ask them to get this test. Testing is
arranged through a patient's primary health care provider and only
if the patient agrees to have the test.
About The University of Vermont
Health Network
The University of
Vermont Health Network is an academic health
system comprised of six affiliate hospitals, a multi-specialty
medical group, and a home health agency. We serve the
residents of Vermont and northern
New York with a shared mission:
working together, we improve people's lives. Our 4,000 health
care professionals are driven to provide high-quality,
cost-efficient care as close to home as possible. Strengthened
by our academic connection to the University
of Vermont, each of our hospitals remains committed to its
local community by providing compassionate, personal care shaped by
the latest medical advances and delivered by highly skilled
experts.
About Invitae
Invitae Corporation (NYSE:
NVTA) is a leading genetics company, whose mission is to bring
comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to
improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to
aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with
higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more
information, visit the company's website at invitae.com.
About LunaPBC
Public Benefit Corporation, LunaPBC, is
a private investor-owned company founded in November 2017. It is chartered to drive societal
value through the aggregation and organization of genomic and
health data at a scale and diversity rich enough to solve today's
greatest health challenges. LunaPBC founded LunaDNA, the first
people-powered, community-owned data sharing platform. The LunaPBC
team, investors, and advisors are renowned in the patient-advocacy,
health, and science fields, including several former chief
executives of Illumina, industry academics, and financial
executives. For more information visit www.lunadna.com.
Contact: Annie Mackin
Phone: 802-847-2886
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SOURCE The University of Vermont
Health Network