Season 1

Episode 4: Cancer Risk & Genetics: Understanding Testing, Prevention, Treatment & Advocacy

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
Tell us about your personal journey with hereditary cancer, and how you got involved in advocacy work?
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?
How FORCE is advocating with state legislatures to expand anti-discrimination protections beyond those offered by federal law?
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?
What does Medicare cover when it comes to genetic testing for hereditary cancer?
Why is it so important for healthcare providers and people to understand if they have a risk of developing hereditary cancer?
What are some resources for people who are concerned that cancer in their family could be hereditary?
What can healthcare providers do to help people understand and respond to the potential inherited risks of cancer?
Wrap-up