title: Managing familial risk in genetic testing.
abstract: Increasing numbers of people are seeking genetic testing and uncovering information that directly concerns their biological relatives as well as themselves. This familial quality of genetic information raises ethical quandaries for physicians, particularly related to their duty of confidentiality. In this article, the American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs examines the informed consent process in the specific context of genetic testing, giving particular consideration to the handling of information that has consequences for biological relatives. Furthermore, it addresses the question of whether physicians' obligation to warn biological relatives ever should override the obligation to protect patient confidentiality.
authors.affiliation: American Medical Association, Chicago, IL 60610, USA. Sara_Taub@ama-assn.org
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taub
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Monique A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Spillman
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sade
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Riddick
mesh_terms: D005192:Family Health; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000235:genetics; D030661:Genetic Privacy / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics*; D014342:Truth Disclosure / Q000941:ethics