Virtual Mentor. August 2000, Volume 2, Number 8.

Ethics Poll

Physicians' Duty to Inform Families about Genetic Risk

The Ethics Poll is a snapshot of the opinions of interested readers.

Several years ago in a noteworthy legal case, a woman who had developed medullary thyroid carcinoma pursued a novel cause of action. She claimed that the physicians who initially treated her mother (who also had medullary thyroid carcinoma) should have known of its inheritability and should have warned her about the possibility of its developing. The physicians claimed that they had no duty toward the daughter because their patient was only the mother and not the daughter. Nowadays, with the ever-increasing frequency of genetic testing physicians and genetic counselors are divided as to whether they should warn relatives of patients who have tested positive for certain kinds of genetic conditions.

Do you think that relatives of patients who test positive for certain kinds of genetic conditions should be told?
Yes, because there is a foreseeable risk that they will also develop the disease.
Yes, because these family members have a right to know about their genetic heritage.
No, because physicians have a duty of confidentiality toward their patients.
No, because relatives may prefer not to know about their genetic heritage.

Related Articles

  • Kataki A, Konstadoulakis MN. Reflections of the european conference "Molecular Screening of individuals at High Risk for Developing Cancer: Medical, Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues." Genetic Testing 2000;4(1):79-84. Available at PUBMED. Accessed July 27, 2000.
  • Patenaude AF. The genetic testing of children for cancer susceptibility: ethical, legal, and social issues. Behavioral Science Law 1996;14(4):393-410. Available at PUBMED. Accessed July 27, 2000.
  • Johnson BB. Ethical issues in risk communication: continuing the discussion. Risk Analysis 1999;19(3):335-348. Available at PUBMED. Accessed July 27, 2000.
  • Legal Report: Warning about genetically transmitted disease. Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions. Accessed July 27, 2000.
  • Weiss, MJ. Should genetic information be protected? An ethical and legal dilemma. 1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060509. Accessed July 27, 2000.
Poll results reflect the opinions of visitors to the site who voluntarily answer the poll questions. Those visitors do not represent a random sample of Virtual Mentor readers. The viewpoints expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.