What is FORESITE 360 - A Guide for Doctors

As healthcare embraces leading-edge technology, practitioners need to stay up to date with the latest in health science. Human genetic testing has seen a surge in popularity- from ancestral interest to disease insights, genome sequencing is a beneficial tool to help individuals live healthier lives.

Parents only want the best for their little ones- including turning to the latest technology in DNA sequencing. Fortunately, in-depth DNA sequencing is available for children through FORESITE 360. FORESITE 360 provides a clinically actionable report to the child’s practitioner allowing them to interpret the child’s risk of medical conditions with a simple, non-invasive analysis of their DNA. All conditions reported by FORESITE 360 can be proactively managed through increased surveillance, lifestyle, diet, and/or medication. 

What is FORESITE 360?

Fore Genomics, a clinically-focused genetics company, has launched FORESITE 360, a leading-edge product offering clinical-grade, in-depth sequencing for the littlest patients. Focusing on newborns and children, a simple cheek swab sample provides doctors and parents with valuable genetic insight into a child’s potential for future diseases based on their DNA. 

Backed by the reliability of CLIA-certified and CAP-approved labs, FORESITE 360 is designed to offer a complete genetic profile of your pediatric patient, unlocking a lifetime of health insights. FORESITE 360 incorporates ongoing re-analysis of DNA, allowing practitioners to take practical steps toward managing any detected medical conditions. Without adding a single item to their to-do list, clinicians can now add value for their patients with leading-edge sequencing, high-quality genetic counseling, and annually updated analysis.

FORESITE 360 offers:

• Affordable payment programs
• Easy online ordering by a parent or guardian
• At-home saliva sample collection (that isn’t scary for parents or little ones)
• Sequencing in a U.S.-based CLIA/CAP laboratory
• A functional and tailored clinical report provided for parents and providers 
• Analysis of over 300 medical conditions and pharmacogenetic information that can be managed early in a patient’s life
• One-on-one review and discussion of results with a U.S.-based genetic counselor
• Annual re-analysis of the child’s DNA genome sequence: because for those who have access, the clinical value of Whole Genome Sequencing will only increase over time   
• Support for healthcare providers from a nationwide network of physicians and genetic counselors
• All of this with no extra paperwork for clinics or providers

Why recommend FORESITE 360?

Quality patient care is at the forefront of excellent healthcare. By offering the most technologically-advanced DNA sequencing to your patients, you are providing parents with not only piece of mind, but actionable clinical management for 248 diseases and 43 medication reactions that might otherwise go undiagnosed until symptoms appear. Quality healthcare is helping your patients discover these through their DNA and making a plan together. 

The clinical usability of newborn genetic screening is critical. With a remarkable amount of parental interest in genetic testing, the information gathered needs to be functional. The medical conditions screened for using the child’s DNA can be managed and treated in the child’s youngest years. This functionality sets FORESITE 360 apart from others- the reports are practical. FORESITE 360 is the only clinically-focused DNA sequencing to provide this type of service.  

Whole genome sequencing versus targeted sequencing

Newborns are currently screened for a state-specified number of genetic precursors, usually around 50 targeted genes. Although useful as a very basic screening, parents want the best information available about their little ones- and that is why FORESITE 360 offers whole genome sequencing. No parent wants to wonder if there’s something more they could have done for their child if they had more information.

The difference between targeted panels such as the ones supplied by the state and whole-genome sequencing is that mapping over 22,000 genes allows the entire genome to be re-analyzed each year as new medical conditions and disease sequences are discovered. 

In a recent study of newborns, 70% of positive genetically actionable findings were not identified by the targeted genetic testing recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for newborn screenings. 

Asthma Case Study

Having a child with asthmatic symptoms can be a scary moment for any parent. If left untreated, a severe asthma attack can be life-threatening. The most common treatment for asthma is a glucocorticoid steroid medication. For most kids, this works. But what about the children who have a genetic variant that makes them resistant to this treatment? 

It takes two weeks of treating a child with a glucocorticoid medication with no improvement in symptoms to diagnose them with glucocorticoid-resistant asthma. As a practitioner, you want to treat your patients with the most effective medications in a timely manner. What if you could determine if your patient is glucocorticoid-resistant prior to the arduous trial-and-error period? Eliminating the need for time-consuming and stressful medication discoveries, FORESITE 360’s DNA test will reveal your patient’s medication resistance even before a critical occasion may arise. Knowledge is power, and the knowledge of what medications will work and which ones won’t in a time of need is invaluable. 

Glucocorticoid resistance has been identified on the human genome as HSD3B1. Standard state-mandated newborn genetic testing excludes this screening, which is why FORESITE 360’s DNA analysis is a powerful tool in making healthcare decisions. Glucocorticoid-resistant asthma is only one example of how genetic testing can help prepare you and your patient’s family for unforeseen medical conditions.       

Analyzing genes

As research on the human genome expands, the relationship between genes and diseases are routinely matched, enhancing the need to re-analyze the whole genome sequence on a regular basis. In comparison with targeted sequences, whole genome sequencing allows this re-analysis to keep up with fast-paced genetic discoveries. 

A recent study in the European Journal of Human Genetics recommends pediatric re-analysis of the whole genome sequence every 1-2 years as new discoveries are made. With FORESITE 360, your patients receive the recommended yearly re-analysis based on their one-time sample. Simply put, no additional effort is required of patients, but significant added value is provided. 

Not only are parents becoming more and more interested in newborn genetic testing, but public initiatives such as The National Institute of Health’s All of Us program strengthen the receptivity–and even the expectation– of genetic testing. The focus is on building a diverse health database by supporting ongoing research to better understand genes and their relation to diseases, which will strengthen FORESITE 360’s clinical reporting.

How does FORESITE 360 work?

We know healthcare providers are busy and may not be experts in genetics- and that's okay! FORESITE 360 is a comprehensive product designed to allow the parent to place the order and collect the child’s sample for genetic testing. That's right, you don’t need to lift a finger. 

Testing process 

Patients provide a simple cheek swab sample from the comfort of their homes and mail it directly to Fore’s accredited lab. Parents will be able to connect with Fore Genomics’s genetic counselors for an in-depth review of the results. The seamless process does not require any extra paperwork for you or your staff. The clinical report will be shared with the patient’s healthcare team in a standard format to allow for seamless integration into the electronic health record, allowing for a collaborative approach to proactively managing medical concerns. 

One-time sample

FORESITE 360 sequences 100% of the child’s DNA and is designed to grow with the child, fostering a lifelong partnership. Every year, genome sequencing technology is expanded. New findings are constantly being discovered. By already having mapped the whole genome sequence, FORESITE 360 can reanalyze the genetic patterns with the benefit of all the additional knowledge gained since the sample was first sequenced. Any new actionable findings will be reported to the parents and healthcare providers, and discussed with a genetic counselor.  

The takeaway

Parents put their trust in pediatricians to use the most innovative technologies available to care for their children. Encouraging DNA sequencing through FORESITE 360 is one way you can show your patients that you are making the most advanced health science available to them. Learning whether or not your patients carry certain genetic variants can help shape the course of their lifelong healthcare goals. 

We know you want the best for your young patients, and FORESITE 360 can offer forward-thinking and scientific-based quality care your patient's families expect. With no extra effort required from your clinic, you are able to provide a valuable service to promote the best care possible.