Episode 4: Cancer in the Family? What You Need to Know About Hereditary Risk

Episode Summary

In this episode,  Lisa Schlager, the Vice President of Public Policy at FORCE, a national advocacy organization, discusses genetic testing, prevention, treatment, and legal protections for people at risk for hereditary cancer.

KEY TOPICS

• Introduction: concerns of people at risk of hereditary cancer; FORCE, a national advocacy organization; and Lisa Schlager, VP of Public Policy  at FORCE  [00:00 - 3:15]

• Tell us about your personal journey with hereditary cancer, and how you got involved in advocacy work? [3:15 - 11:23]

• What is GINA, the Federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and what protections does it offer–and fail to offer—for people living at risk of genetic disease? [11:23-14:01]

•  How FORCE is advocating with state legislatures to expand anti-discrimination protections beyond those offered by federal law? [14:01 - 16:50]

• What are some specific examples of issues you're working on at FORCE to help make sure that people living at risk of hereditary cancer get the healthcare they need? [16:50 - 20:01]

• What does Medicare cover when it comes to genetic testing for hereditary cancer? [20:02 - 22:06]

• Why is it so important for healthcare providers and people to understand if they have a risk of developing hereditary cancer? [22:07 -  24:50]

• What are some resources for people who are concerned that cancer in their family could be hereditary? [24:50 - 26:33]

• What can healthcare providers do to help people understand and respond to the potential inherited risks of cancer? [26:34 - 30:53] 

• Wrap-up [30:54 - 32:18]