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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Mar 26.
Published in final edited form as: Genet Med. 2010 Nov;12(11):686–693. doi: 10.1097/GIM.0b013e3181eff533

Table 1.

Risk-Benefit outcomes table: Examples of potential outcomes for different types of genomic tests

Incremental results for testing vs. comparator strategy Type of Genomic Test
Pharmacogenomics Disease Risk Newborn Screening
Proportion of patients with a reclassified risk status % patients with reclassified risk status % individuals with reclassified risk status % children with reclassified risk status
Proportion of patients indicated to receive an alternative treatment strategy % patients with dose or drug change % individuals initiating lifestyle change or preventative interventions % children receiving medical or dietary intervention
Proportion of patients likely to choose the alternative treatment % patients choosing indicated treatment strategy % individuals choosing indicated lifestyle change or preventative intervention % children receiving indicated medical or dietary intervention
Incidence of clinical events: Benefits and Harms (including NNT, NNS, NNB, NNH) serious adverse drug reaction, myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer recurrence myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer recurrence growth, mental functioning
Life expectancy life years life years life years
Quality of life (and patient preferences) impact of clinical events on quality of life impact of increased fear vs. empowerment impact of ‘right to know’ vs. harm from uncertainty in diagnosis or treatment
Quality-Adjusted Life-Years QALYs QALYs QALYs

NNT=Number Needed to Treat, NNS=Number Needed to Screen, NNB=Number Needed to Benefit, NNH=Number Needed to Harm, QALY=Quality-Adjusted Life-Year