World Congress on Genetic Counselling 2021

Taking place 27–28 October 2021, at the Wellcome Genome Campus, the third World Congress on Genetic Counselling provided a forum that facilitates active engagement between international researchers and practitioners to explore the evidence that guides genetic counselling and the communication of genetics in medicine. Exploring the evidence that guides genetic counselling to improve patient care, communicating the meaning and impact of genomic sequencing technology for people, is just as important as the technological advances themselves. Understanding how genomic information ‘makes sense’ for individuals, families and wider society will benefit from empirical genetic counselling research.

The conference brought together:

• Clinicians (genetic counsellors, genetic nurses, clinical/medical geneticists, and others using genetic technology in their practice)
• Academics (social scientists, psychologists and ethicists)

The programme explored, empirically, what is at the heart of genetic counselling. We focused on professional and leadership issues in genetic counselling, including cross-cultural counselling, reaching traditionally underserved populations, and ‘mainstreaming’ of genetic counselling the wider health service. We discussed how counselling and sociological theory can influence genetic counselling practice and will involve genetic counsellors who are leading their own research.

All of the conference session videos can also be viewed, and downloaded (read a how-to guide), on Vimeo.