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Previous Volume 355:545-546 August 10, 2006 Number 6 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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"Who am I?" has always been a fundamental philosophical question that may require decades of reflection to answer. With the advent of DNA analysis, there is a growing public impression that the answer may be found in our genes. Various Internet sites offer descriptions of our ancestral history on the basis of our DNA, as well as testing for specific "disease genes" or general profiles that are used to recommend lifestyle changes, such as foods to be eaten or avoided. Researchers have even suggested that although the scientific evidence is speculative and at best probabilistic, many people will want to . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Source Information

Ms. Roche and Mr. Annas are professors in the Department of Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights at Boston University School of Public Health, Boston.

An interview with Prof. Annas can be heard at www.nejm.org.

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