Randomized trial of a specialist genetic assessment service for familial breast cancer

This is a critical abstract of an economic evaluation that meets the criteria for inclusion on NHS EED. Each abstract contains a brief summary of the methods, the results and conclusions followed by a detailed critical assessment on the reliability of the study and the conclusions drawn. The health benefits associated with the new multidisciplinary genetic screening for breast cancer were quite modest: consulting with a genetic or surgical specialist was equally reassuring for at-risk women. The small improvement in knowledge in the group who experienced the new approach should be weighted against the extra cost required, compared with the traditional approach.