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Genetic Testing of Children for Late Onset Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2005

MARY ANN SEVICK ,
DONNA G. NATIVIO  and
TERRANCE MCCONNELL
MARY ANN SEVICK
Affiliation:
Mary Ann Sevick, Sc.D., R.N., is Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Community Systems, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DONNA G. NATIVIO
Affiliation:
Donna G. Nativio, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is Associate Professor and Director of Nurse Practitioner Programs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Department of Health Promotion and Development, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TERRANCE MCCONNELL
Affiliation:
Terrance McConnell, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina
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Extract

Over the past decade, genetic tests have become available for a wide variety of disorders. As a result we are able to predict, with some degree of certainty, whether or not an individual will develop such diseases as breast cancer, Huntington's disease, polycystic kidney disease, and familial adenomatous polyposis. The ability to predict disease poses several unique ethical considerations for clinical decisionmaking regarding the provision of genetic testing. Patients must be able to comprehend the complexities of genetic testing and the potential meaning of the results. Patients must consider the emotional, social, and economic consequences of revelations regarding their risk status. Also, obtaining information on risk status may have implications for persons other than the individual seeking genetic testing.

Type
SPECIAL SECTION: OPEN FORUM
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 47 - 56
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

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