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01-12-2006 | Original Paper

Ethical Issues in Cancer Genetics: 1) Whose Information Is It?

Authors: Katherine A. Schneider, Anu B. Chittenden, Kelly J. Branda, Meredith A. Keenan, Steven Joffe, Andrea Farkas Patenaude, Hazel Reynolds, Karin Dent, Sonja Eubanks, Jill Goldman, Bonnie Leroy, Nancy Steinberg Warren, Kelly Taylor, Cate Walsh Vockley, Judy E. Garber

Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling | Issue 6/2006

Abstract

This article presents and discusses four clinical cases that exemplify the complexity of ethical dilemmas concerning the provider’s obligation to disclose or withhold genetic information from patients.

Case 1: What is the responsibility of the cancer genetics provider to ensure that a positive test results is shared with distant relatives?

Case 2: To ensure that results go to at-risk relatives, do we have the right to ignore the wishes of the designated next-of-kin?

Case 3: Do we have the right to reveal a familial BRCA1 mutation to a patient’s relative, who is at 50% risk?

Case 4: Do we have an obligation to reveal that a patient is not a blood relative and therefore, not at risk to have inherited a familial mutation?

These cases form the basis for discussing the provider’s dual obligations to keeping patient confidentiality and informing patients and families about risk (i.e. duty to warn). We also provide a summary of consensus points and additional discussion questions for each case.

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Title: Ethical Issues in Cancer Genetics: 1) Whose Information Is It?
Authors: Katherine A. Schneider
Anu B. Chittenden
Kelly J. Branda
Meredith A. Keenan
Steven Joffe
Andrea Farkas Patenaude
Hazel Reynolds
Karin Dent
Sonja Eubanks
Jill Goldman
Bonnie Leroy
Nancy Steinberg Warren
Kelly Taylor
Cate Walsh Vockley
Judy E. Garber
Publication date: 01-12-2006
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling / Issue 6/2006
Print ISSN: 1059-7700
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3599
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-006-9053-4

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