Frequently Asked Questions

Your total costs if you choose to have testing will usually be about $1000. There is no obligation to have testing after your appointment.

For detailed pricing and package information, see our Genetic Testing page.

There are currently no Medicare or private health insurance rebates for genetic counselling. The Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) is working to improve private funding options for genetic testing and counselling services. If this is an important issue for you, you can speak to your private health fund or your local Member of Parliament.

You may be able to access genetic counselling free of charge in the public health system if you meet referral criteria, and some genetic tests are also covered by Medicare under strict criteria. If you are eligible for publicly funded services or testing, we will discuss this and can help you to access this through your specialist or a referral to the public genetic clinic.

Most of our appointments are online or by phone (telehealth). This means that we can offer evening and weekend appointments, and see you at a time that suits you, wherever you are. We will send you a link that will open in any computer browser without downloading a program. You can also open it on your tablet or smartphone, click here for more information. Otherwise, we will call you at your appointment time.

We also offer monthly in-person appointments at the SouthWest Breast Clinic in Bunbury.

Use the Book Now button to see what’s available.

Results are usually available in about four weeks (one month). This can depend on the type of testing you have done, shipping time, and whether you are having chemotherapy.

In some cases, expedited or urgent results can be available sooner.

Rarely, there may be unavoidable delays in sample processing, or a sample failure. Repeat samples may be needed.

There are a range of different labs offering genetic testing, and we will discuss the different options available to you at your appointment. After your appointment, you will either be sent a blood request form or a medical-grade saliva collection kit by post.

Limited Medicare rebates are available for some genetic tests. If you are eligible, we will discuss this with you.

Genetics is only part of what makes up your health. A genetic test won’t tell you that you will or won’t get cancer, but can tell you whether your risk is higher than someone else’s. You may be able to access earlier, more frequent or more sensitive cancer screening. You may also have other choices to prevent cancer, such as certain medications or preventive surgeries, and it may help you to make different lifestyle choices. Any option has benefits and limitations, and a genetic counsellor can talk you through them, and help you decide how you want to manage your risk. Even if your genetic test result is normal, a genetic counsellor can tell you if you might still be at risk based on your family history, or reassure you if you are not.

Even if you have cancer, some genetic tests can make a difference to your treatment, and you may have already spoken with your specialists about it. A genetic counsellor can work with you and your specialist to make sure that you get a genetic test result quickly that will give you the right information for your care. If you have had cancer, finding out if there is a genetic cause could be important for you, as you may still need extra screening for that type of cancer, or for other cancers.

Your genetic testing could also help your family to understand their risks. This can give them the best opportunity to reduce their cancer risk, catch it early, or prevent it before it happens.

See Understanding Your Risk for more tools to help you understand your risk of cancer.

If you give us a copy of your test report, we can discuss the implications and limitations of your results with you, and whether any other testing could be useful.

Not all labs are accredited for clinical grade testing (also see FAQ: Can’t I just order my own test online?). If you had testing through a lab that is not accredited, your results may need to be confirmed through a clinical lab before you use them to make choices about your health. Research labs are also held to different quality control standards, and a research result may need to be confirmed in a clinical lab before you and your family can make use of it. We can help you to arrange testing through a reliable, accredited, clinical lab to ensure you get the most accurate and helpful results.

Tests done through reliable, accredited labs are highly accurate, and the chance of error is very low. Repeat testing may be unlikely to give you any new information. However, if you wish to expand your testing to include other genes or conditions, we can discuss your options in an appointment.

In Australia, genetic test results do not affect your ability to get health insurance. However, a genetic test may have implications for “risk rated” insurances like life, disability, income protection, or travel insurance. An insurer can only ask you for your own genetic test result, not a result for one of your relatives. A limited moratorium on insurers asking for genetic test results has been in place since July 2019.

The Australian government is in the process of legislating a total ban on the use of adverse genetic testing results in life insurance.

A genetic counsellor can provide you with up to date general information about what genetic testing means for your insurance. For detailed advice about your personal circumstances, you may need to speak with a legal, financial, or insurance professional. Further information is available from:

The Financial Services Council (Genetic Tests and Life Insurance-Key Facts)

The Centre for Genetics Education (Implications for life insurance)

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests are usually purchased and have results provided over the internet, without the involvement of your doctor or a healthcare provider. There can be limitations and risks with this type of testing, and it is important to have all of the information you need before deciding on any test. You may wish to consider:

• • Will this test answer my questions? Will it tell me something I don’t want to know?
  • Will this test have implications for my insurance? (See FAQ: What will testing mean for my insurance?)
  • Will my results be private? Who will have access to my genetic information?

You may want to find out more from:

Lab Tests Online Australasia “Online DNA tests”

The National Health and Medical Research Council “Understanding Direct-to-Consumer Genetic DNA Testing”

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australia (Fact Sheet 9) “What should I know about Direct-to-Consumer genetic testing?”

For your safety, it is important to be sure that you are working with an appropriately qualified provider. More information about the qualification of genetic health professionals in Australia is available through the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA).

The HGSA publishes a list of public and private clinical genetic services by state and a register of qualified genetic counsellors. An up-to date list of public clinics can be found at the Centre for Genetics Education. Public genetic services are generally free of cost, but there are eligibility criteria for appointments and testing, and waitlists for services.

Direct to Consumer (DTC) genetic tests are usually purchased and have results provided over the internet, without the involvement of your doctor or a healthcare provider. There can be limitations and risks with this type of testing, and it is important to have all of the information you need before deciding on any test. See FAQ: “Can’t I just order my own test online?” for more information