Prenatal testing for adult-onset conditions: cui bono?
There is a widespread consensus in the medical and bioethical communities that minor children should not be tested for untreatable adult-onset genetic diseases. This paper looks at the implications for prenatal genetic testing. What is the purpose of such testing? Who is intended to benefit? Is it the prospective parents, to enable them to make informed reproductive decisions? Or society, by reducing the prevalence of genetic diseases? Or can prenatal testing for adult-onset conditions be done 'for the sake of the child'? While the last justification, if plausible, would provide a better justification than the other two, it is not clear that even reproductive autonomy justifies prenatal genetic testing for untreatable adult-onset diseases. Nor can a rationale be provided by the other possibilities since neither society nor the future child is likely to be benefited by such testing.
Steinbock
Bonnie
B
Department of Philosophy, University at Albany/SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA. steinbock@albany.edu
D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000941:ethics*