Genetic testing can be considered a complex variant of diagnostictesting. If the results are not actionable, the findings maylead to anxiety or even life-disrupting actions with littleoffsetting benefit. Even if the results are actionable, theanxiety or actions resulting from disclosure may outweigh anybenefit. Because the benefits of genetic testing are often modest,and the tests themselves are often imprecise in identifyingrisk, consideration must be given to potential harm in revealingthe test results. A test that discloses an elevated risk ofAlzheimer's disease — a fearsome condition involving memoryloss, personality change, and physical . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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From the School of Public Health and Center on Aging (R.A.K., R.L.K.) and the Center for Biomedical Ethics (R.A.K.) — all at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
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