Genes & Your Health Edition | Ethical Considerations
Oct 18, 2023
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Dr. Karen Meagher, assistant professor in the Biomedical Ethics, discusses the ethical considerations in genetic testing. They explore the challenges of communicating genetic probabilities, the implications of genetic information, and the limitations of genetic testing technologies. The episode also touches upon the impact on insurance coverage, discrimination, and healthcare disparities.
Communicating the probabilistic nature of genetic risks can alleviate anxiety and promote understanding of genetic testing.
Balancing patient autonomy and potential benefits for relatives presents ethical challenges for healthcare providers in cases of heritable genetic conditions.
Deep dives
Understanding Genetic Determinism and Genetic Testing Fear
Genetic determinism is the belief that genes strongly determine our fate, causing anxiety and fear among individuals who associate genetic testing with predetermined health outcomes. However, genetic conditions are often more complex than a single gene and outcome, with factors like penetrance and polygenicity influencing disease manifestation. Communicating the probabilistic nature of genetic risks and exploring patients' fears and concerns can help alleviate anxiety and promote a more informed understanding of genetic testing.
Ethical Dilemmas in Sharing Genetic Information
When patients have heritable genetic conditions but don't want to disclose the information to family members, it presents ethical dilemmas for healthcare providers. Balancing patient autonomy with the potential benefits of preventive care for relatives can be challenging. Clinicians should seek guidance from ethics committees and consider individual patient contexts and emotions when navigating these complex situations to ensure the best ethical decision-making.
Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing and Ethical Considerations
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests offer convenience, but their reliability and clinical utility vary. Risks of false negatives, false positives, and limited scope of testing should be discussed with patients who bring in such results. Clinicians should consider the appropriate actions, including retesting or confirming results through clinically reliable means. The impact on privacy, insurance, and potential disparities in access to follow-up care also demand ethical attention.
In today’s world, primary care physicians have a variety of genetic and genomic testing available for patients. But what ethical considerations should be kept in mind during patient visits to ensure the needs of the patient always come first? Find out in this episode of Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine’s Genes & Your Health podcast miniseries featuring Karen Meagher, Ph.D, assistant professor in the Biomedical Ethics Research Program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.
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