Is there a ‘cascade effect’ generated by predictive genetic testing? Some evidence from Italy

Abstract

Background The term “cascade effect” of medical technology refers to a chain of events initiated by an unnecessary test, an unexpected result, patient or physician anxiety, which results in inappropriate tests or treatments that may cause avoidable morbidity and unnecessary costs. Although the cascade effect of predictive genetic testing is a matter of concern, the problem is still under-investigated in the medical literature. Methods The estimation of the actual health care pathways triggered by three selected …