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Next-generation sequencing in the clinic: are we ready?

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 13, pages 818–824 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

We are entering an era in which the cost of clinical whole-genome and targeted sequencing tests is no longer prohibitive to their application. However, currently the infrastructure is not in place to support both the patient and the physicians that encounter the resultant data. Here, we ask five experts to give their opinions on whether clinical data should be treated differently from other medical data, given the potential use of these tests, and on the areas that must be developed to improve patient outcome.

Are clinical genomic data different from other medical test data? Should they be handled differently?

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Acknowledgements

L.G.B. and the ClinSeq program are supported by the Intramural Research Program of the US National Human Genome Research Institute. S.E.P. acknowledges grant 1 U01 HG006485. R.Z. would like to thank M. Kroese and A. Hall, both of the PHG Foundation, for helpful discussion. The opinions expressed are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the institutions with which they are affiliated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leslie G. Biesecker is at the Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, 49 Convent Drive, Room 4A56, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.,

    Leslie G. Biesecker

  2. Wylie Burke is at the Department of Bioethics and Humanities, University of Washington, BOX 357120, 1959 NE Pacific, Room A204, Seattle, Washington 98195–7120, USA.,

    Wylie Burke

  3. Isaac Kohane is at Boston Childrens Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Enders-6, Boston Massachusetts 02115, USA.,

    Isaac Kohane

  4. Sharon E. Plon is at the Departments of Pediatrics, Hematology–Oncology and Molecular and Human Genetics, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor Cancer Genetics Clinic, Texas Childrens Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,

    Sharon E. Plon

  5. Ron Zimmern is at the PHG Foundation, 2 Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK.,

    Ron Zimmern

Authors
  1. Leslie G. Biesecker
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  2. Wylie Burke
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Leslie G. Biesecker, Wylie Burke, Isaac Kohane, Sharon E. Plon or Ron Zimmern.

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Competing interests

Leslie G. Biesecker is an uncompensated consultant to and collaborator with the Illumina Corporation. Wylie Burke, Isaac Kohane, Sharon E. Plon and Ron Zimmern declare no competing financial insterests.

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Biesecker, L., Burke, W., Kohane, I. et al. Next-generation sequencing in the clinic: are we ready?. Nat Rev Genet 13, 818–824 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3357

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