Assessing the Psychological Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing Information in the Clinic: An Attempt to Map Terra Incognita?

Abstract Genomic, personalized, and precision medicine are emerging into medical practice. These terms are frequently and inappropriately used interchangeably. In this chapter, an overarching conceptual framework for each of these terms is proposed to inform the approach to implementation in the clinic. This will be considered from multiple stakeholder perspectives including the patient/consumer, provider, healthcare system, and society. Moving from population-based health recommendations to recommendations that account for individual differences shifts the paradigm of care and requires input from the patient to inform how best to design care interventions. Examples of early implementation of personalized medicine based on genomic sequencing will be examined with a focus on the psychological impact of results on patients and research participants.