The Challenges of Genome Analysis in the Health Care Setting

Genes

Anneke Lucassen¹ 

[1] Clinical Ethics and Law Unit, Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, The Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, SO16 5YA, UK

关键词: genome sequencing;    clinical practice;    incidental findings;    consent;    disclosure;   

DOI  :  10.3390/genes5030576

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Genome sequencing is now a sufficiently mature and affordable technology for clinical use. Its application promises not only to transform clinicians’ diagnostic and predictive ability, but also to improve preventative therapies, surveillance regimes, and tailor patient treatment to an individual’s genetic make-up. However, as with any technological advance, there are associated fresh challenges. While some of the ethical, legal and social aspects resulting from the generation of data from genome sequencing are generic, several nuances are unique. Since the UK government recently announced plans to sequence the genomes of 100,000 Health Service patients, and similar initiatives are being considered elsewhere, a discussion of these nuances is timely and needs to go hand in hand with formulation of guidelines and public engagement activities around implementation of sequencing in clinical practice.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.