Economics/cost analyses in genomics

Nationwide genetic screening proves effective at catching disease risk early

Nature News & Views |

January 2026

Press

This Nature article highlights how nationwide genetic screening shows promise for early disease risk detection. Evidence from a large Australian pilot demonstrates population-wide genetic screening in young adults can successfully identify individuals at increased risk for serious heritable conditions, including hereditary cancers and high cholesterol, before symptoms arise. The findings outline the potential of early … Continued

Feasibility and outcomes of the DNA Screen nationwide adult genomic screening pilot

Lacaze P Tiller J Brotchie A Nguyen-Dumont T Steen J Belluccio D Young M Willis A Mitchell LA Nowak KJ Burns B Horton AE Nicholls SJ Ademi Z Green RC Manchanda R Thompson BA Thomas D Milne RL Bruinsma Delatycki MB Pang J Watts GF Macrae F Oiolawski N Kirk J Tucker K Andrews L Wallis M Rusman R Pachter N Sullivan D Ragunathan A James P Zalcberg J McNeil JJ Southey MC Winship I

Nature Health January 2026

The Double-Edged Code: The promise and peril of personal genomics

Inside Precision Medicine |

December 2025

Press

This article explores the critical transition toward genomic implementation into precision health, examining the economic, clinical, and ethical frameworks required to integrate genomic data into everyday care. Featuring insights from G2P Director Dr. Robert Green and other leading experts, it challenges us to consider how we will responsibly navigate the most intimate information we possess.

NIH Funds Multi-State Pilot For Genome Sequencing in Newborn Screening

News Medical Net |

October 2025

Press, Press Release

Dr. Green describes the impact of the novel, NIH-funded BEACONS study: “For more than 50 years, newborn screening has been a beacon of trust, saving children’s lives by analyzing a few drops of blood after birth. BEACONS brings the next generation of hope, giving families the option of genomic screening for hundreds of additional conditions … Continued

First U.S. National Genomic Newborn Screening Initiative Launched with $14.4 Million NIH Award

MGB Newsroom |

October 2025

Press, Press Release

Funded by a $14.4 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund Venture Program, BEACONS will pilot the integration of whole genome sequencing into existing state newborn screening systems. The study will recruit, consent, and enroll up to 30,000 newborns in as many as 10 states over the next three years, a … Continued

Newborn Sequencing 2023 Part II: What Evidence Is Enough?

Mendelspod |

November 2023

Podcast

Julia Karow, Managing Editor at GenomeWeb; Robert Green, Director of Genomes2People and Co-Chair of the International Consortium on Newborn Sequencing (ICoNS); Wendy Chung, Chair of Pediatrics in Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and leader of the Guardian Study; and James Buchanan, Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at Queen Mary University in London, discuss takeaways and … Continued

Newborn Screening and Genomics with Robert C. Green, MD, MPH

Ambry Genetics |

August 2023

Video

In this webinar Dr. Green explores the path towards a more personalized and preventive approach to medicine. He draws on insights gained from the MedSeq and BabySeq projects led by the Genomes2People Research Program (G2P).

A cost-consequence analysis of preemptive SLCO1B1 testing for statin myopathy risk compared to usual care

Brunette CA, Dong OM, Vassy JL, Danowski ME, Alexander N, Antwi AA, Christensen KD

Journal of Personalized Medicine October 2021

The buy in

This Study Shows |

June 2021

Podcast

“We might think that science and money have nothing to do with each other, but whether it’s video games, consumer DNA kits, or even the concrete we build with, the connections are everywhere. Listen to Dr. Mitu Khandaker, Dr. John Orr, and Dr. Jason Vassy explore what happens when research and commercial interests collide.”

Molecular cancer screening: In search of evidence

Raoof S, Kennedy CJ, Wallach DA, Bitton A, Green RC

Nature Medicine July 2021

Precision population medicine in primary care: The Sanford Chip experience

Christensen KD, Bell M, Zawatsky CL, Galbraith LN, Green RC, Hutchinson AM, Jamal L, LeBlanc JL, Leonhard JR, Moore M, Mullineaux L, Petry N, Platt DM, Shaaban S, Schultz A, Tucker BD, Van Heukelom J, Wheeler E, Zoltick ES, Hajek C

Frontiers in Genetics | PMID: 33777099 March 2021

Universal newborn genetic screening for pediatric cancer predisposition syndromes: Model-based insights

Yeh JM, Stout NK, Chaudhry A, Christensen KD, Gooch M, McMahon PM, O'Brien G, Rehman N, Zawatsky CLB, Green RC, Lu CY, Rehm HL, Williams MS, Diller L, Wu AC

Genetics in Medicine March 2021

Quantifying downstream health care utilization in studies of genomic testing

Mackay Z, Dukhovny D, Phillips KA, Beggs AH, Green RC, Parad RB, Christensen KD

Value in Health March 2020

Econogenomics: The economics of genomic testing for health

Medium |

January 2020

G2P Blog

“The cost of sequencing itself is already comparable to a lot of other diagnostic tests regularly used in medicine,” Kurt Christensen, PhD said. Besides: “What really moves the needle on cost effectiveness isn’t the costs — it’s the benefits.”

Sanford Health taps Harvard, Brigham and Women’s for genetic screening study

Genome Web |

June 2019

Press

Under the four-year collaboration, experts in genomic medicine from Harvard and Brigham and Women’s will help guide Sanford researchers in using and interpreting data collected through the Sanford Chip, a $49 pharmacogenomic test to identify genetic risk factors for medication use and more accurately prescribe medications.

G2P Newsletter March 2019

March 2019

G2P News

Spring saw accomplishments by team members through numerous projects. G2P officially kicked-off the PeopleSeq consortium in Boston this January! Our very own, Carrie Blout, MS, CGC, was one of 86 Partner’s individuals awarded the Partners In Excellence Award.

Is it too soon to consider genome sequencing for newborns?

Medium |

March 2019

G2P Blog

Parents and clinicians have their own ideas about newborn genome sequencing. Dr. Robert Green, principal investigator of the BabySeq Project, shares a detailed analysis of the results from the study and his thoughts on the utility of genomic sequencing for newborns in clinical care.

Methodological issues in assessing the economic value of next-generation sequencing tests: Many challenges and not enough solutions

Phillips KA, Deverka PA, Marshall DA, Wordsworth S, Regier DA, Christensen KD, Buchanan J

Value In Health September 2018

Cost analyses of genomic sequencing: Lessons learned from the MedSeq Project

Christensen KD, Phillips KA, Green RC, Dukhovny D

Value In Health | PMID: 30224109 September 2018

The true cost of whole genome sequencing

Medium |

September 2018

G2P Blog

The true costs of genome sequencing don’t end with the technical production of A’s, T’s, C’s and G’s, and they don’t even end with the molecular interpretation of a few dozen or even a few hundred genes.

Genome sequencing helps identify hundreds of blood type differences

ClinicalOmics |

May 2018

Press

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) can help identify rare blood-type donors and transfusion recipients who may be at risk of adverse reactions from red blood cell antigen mismatches.

Cost conscious: MedSeq Project provides snapshot to suggest genomic sequencing does not increase downstream healthcare costs

ClinicalOmics |

May 2018

Press

A study of two groups of 100 patients found no evidence that whole genome sequencing increases downstream healthcare costs. The story begins on Page 12.

G2P Newsletter April 2018

Genomes2People |

April 2018

G2P News

Spring saw accomplishments by team members and new advances in direct-to-consumer testing. Dr. Kurt Christensen provides compelling detail about econogenomics cost and benefits to genetic sequencing, and Megan Maxwell discusses genetic counseling and the MilSeq project on a podcast.

Genome sequencing for healthy people: Will it be harmful?

Medium |

March 2018

G2P Blog

The second piece of a 2-part blog series authored by Dr. Robert C. Green. An early study found no problems related to unnecessary or harmful medical follow-ups after healthy people received their genome sequencing results. To read the first piece, visit: https://medium.com/@genomes2people/genome-sequencing-for-healthy-people-will-it-be-helpful-b984b94e3d3f

Sequencing patients’ genomes might not break the health care bank, study finds

Stat |

March 2018

Press

Findings in whole-genome sequencing don’t lead to excessive follow-up testing, an early study found.

Does genome sequencing increase downstream medical costs?

Brigham Women's Hospital |

March 2018

Press Release

“Whole genome sequencing is coming of age, but there’s fear that with these advancements will come rocketing health care costs,” said lead author Kurt Christensen, MPH, PhD, an instructor of medicine in the Division of Genetics at BWH. “Our pilot study is the first to provide insights into the cost of integrating whole genome sequencing … Continued

Short-term costs of integrating whole-genome sequencing into primary care and cardiology settings: A pilot randomized trial

Christensen KD, Vassy JL, Phillips KA, Blout CL, Azzariti DR, Lu CY, Robinson JO, Lee K, Douglas MP, Yeh JM, Machini K, Stout NK, Rehm HL, McGuire AL, Green RC, Dukhovny DD

Genetics in Medicine | PMID: 29565423 March 2018

MedSeq Study finds whole-genome sequencing does not increase medical costs in the short term

GenomeWeb |

March 2018

Press

A pilot study found no significant increases in healthcare costs among people who received whole-genome sequencing results along with a family history report.

Genome sequencing for healthy people: Will it be helpful?

Medium |

February 2018

G2P Blog

The first piece of a 2-part blog series authored by Dr. Robert C. Green. Early results suggest that yes, whole genome sequencing may very well be substantially helpful to a significant number of healthy patients. To read the second piece, visit: https://medium.com/@genomes2people/genome-sequencing-for-healthy-people-will-it-be-harmful-d915cc08e634

G2P Newsletter December 2017

Genomes2People |

December 2017

G2P News

Winter highlights include Dr. Robert Green’s interview with Rob Reid on the pros and cons to genetic sequencing, G2P team members’ participation in the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) conference, and our Understand Your Genome Educational Event in Boston.

The impact of whole-genome sequencing on the primary care and outcomes of healthy adult patients

Vassy JL, Christensen KD, Schonman EF, Blout CL, Robinson JO, Krier JB, Diamond PM, Lebo M, Machini K, Azzariti DR, Dukhovny D, Bates DW, MacRae CA, Murray MF, Rehm HL, McGuire AL, Green RC

Annals of Internal Medicine | PMID: 28654958 June 2017

Genome sequencing for healthy people: Is it time?

The Huffington Post |

September 2016

G2P Blog

A blog post authored by Dr. Robert Green discussing the benefits and challenges that people and health professionals are faced with when dealing with genetic testing and screening. Here, he addresses ethical issues and potential complications alongside beneficial factors that deal genome testing.

Genomes2People: a roadmap for genomic medicine

Front Line Genomics |

May 2016

Press

An overview and summary of the main projects that are being conducted within the G2P program, both past and present. This article also includes the progract managers and research assistants on each major project.