The Genetic Diagnostics Act provides that genetic counselling must be performed prior to genetic testing. Since 1 February, 2012, this consultation may only be carried out by "doctors who have qualified for genetic counseling". Until 2009, the term "Genetic Counselling" referred exclusively to a specialised service, which had been carried out since 1992 by specialists in Human Genetics (previously by specialists in Medical Genetics). In order to achieve this kind of qualification, a physician has to go through at least two years of general further education at a licensed institution. These years present a central part of the five-year continuing education period of specialists qualifying in human genetics. In order to satisfy the demand for genetic counselling, legislature introduced a new option for qualification in § 7 of the German GenDG. The genetic counselling guideline of the Commission on Genetic Testing (GEKO) now also allows for specialists from other disciplines to acquire the additional qualification for "subject-linked genetic counseling". Critics point to the fact that a physician qualified in this alternative manner has the same authority concerning Human Genetics as a specialist in Human Genetics. As a consequence, critics argue that patients looking for advice may be unable to distinguish "subject-linked genetic counselling" from counselling provided by specialists in human genetics.