All content matching "ethics and genetics"

Written by John Donnelly on February 2, 2012

Just 10 years ago, a complete personalized genome test cost $3 billion. Some groups say that this cost could drop to as low as $1000 this year.

With the tests becoming more affordable, and more and more people getting whole genome sequencing tests, a host of related ethical issues are getting more attention, experts told the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues today in San Francisco.

Among them: Who will interpret this genetic data? Is it ethical to allow health care providers to interpret the data without a health systems infrastructure to help them interpret it? What will be the privacy protections to people who have the testing? Are privacy issues around genetic testing any different from other personal health information?

The Commission heard differing views on the thicket of ethical issues surrounding the emerging field.

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