(San Diego, CA) - Valley Children’s Lead Genetic Counselor Jason Carmichael recently spoke at the Rady Children’s Institute 2019 Frontiers in Pediatric Genomic Medicine Conference in San Diego. His presentation focused on Valley Children’s experience implementing a groundbreaking genetic test, Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing (rWGS), and outcomes as a result of the availability of this testing within our patient population.
Valley Children’s is one of only five hospitals taking part in a state-funded pilot program and has now enrolled 19 patients in the program called Project Baby Bear.
The program aims to use rWGS to help improve the treatment of infants and children with undiagnosed illnesses who are under the care of Medi-Cal, to ultimately decrease the cost associated with the program.
Of the babies tested, more than 40% have received a genetic diagnosis, which has helped guide the management of these babies in the NICU and PICU.