The "duty to warn" a patient's family members about hereditary disease risks

JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association
Kenneth OffitMary A Weiser

Abstract

Genetic tests for adult-onset disorders, including common forms of cancer, are now commercially available, and tests for genetic polymorphisms that predict drug effects or toxicity after treatment are under development. For each of these circumstances, testing of 1 individual may imply an increased risk to his/her relative. The obligation, if any, to warn family members of the identification of a genetic mutation has generated concerns regarding the conflict between the physician's ethical obligations to respect the privacy of genetic information vs the potential liabilities resulting from the physician's failure to notify at-risk relatives. A duty to warn relatives about risks due to some infectious agents has been assumed by state and local health agencies, and the duty to breach confidentiality to warn of imminent harm has been the subject of case law. In general, the special nature of genetic tests has been viewed as a barrier to physicians' breaching the confidentiality of personal genetic information. However, the failure to warn family members about hereditary disease risks has already resulted in 3 lawsuits against physicians in the United States. While the findings of case law and the state and federal statutes that be...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 9, 2013·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·Adriano ChiòAntonella Surbone
Jul 23, 2014·Journal of Community Genetics·E G GournaS E Wallace
Nov 30, 2014·Current Problems in Cancer·Kimberly Marie Lewis
Jul 1, 2005·Critical Care : the Official Journal of the Critical Care Forum·Chris CottonGil Ross
Dec 19, 2007·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Amy L McGuireMildred K Cho
Jul 29, 2008·BMC Medical Genomics·Christopher A CassaKenneth D Mandl
Mar 28, 2009·The American Journal of Nursing·Agatha M GalloKathleen A Knafl
Aug 12, 2010·Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·Eleanor L CheungMary S Beattie
Jun 28, 2011·Human Genetics·Kenneth Offit
Sep 14, 2013·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Ribhi HazinIftikhar J Kullo
Nov 11, 2010·Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine·Daniel P Judge, Rosanne Rouf
Sep 15, 2012·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Yvonne BombardMark E Robson
Sep 13, 2013·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Lauren C MilnerNanibaa' A Garrison
Sep 13, 2013·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Seema K ShahSteven M Holland
Apr 18, 2013·Genetics Research·Michael Lee, Jimmy Cheng-Ho Lin
May 26, 2011·Science and Engineering Ethics·M A Crook
Feb 1, 2012·Journal of Genetic Counseling·Alice K Hawkins, Anita Ho
Jan 15, 2010·Annual Review of Public Health·Rodolfo ValdezMuin J Khoury
Apr 13, 2012·Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice·Ani KardashianMary Stanley Beattie
Feb 23, 2007·New Genetics and Society·Mette Nordahl Svendsen, Lene Koch
May 17, 2007·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Deborah J MacDonaldJeffrey N Weitzel
Feb 12, 2011·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Richard R Sharp
Jan 12, 2005·Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology·J Christopher PostGarth D Ehrlich
Feb 20, 2007·Familial Cancer·Constance A GriffinFrancis M Giardiello
Feb 11, 2012·Annals of Surgical Oncology·Andrew G ShumanLuc G T Morris
Jul 29, 2008·Journal of Health Communication·Deborah J MacDonaldJeffrey N Weitzel
Feb 18, 2006·Critical Care Medicine·Bradley D FreemanTimothy G Buchman
Jul 21, 2012·Science Translational Medicine·Lawrence E HunterMarilyn E Coors
Feb 10, 2011·Annals of Oncology : Official Journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·A Surbone
Oct 30, 2013·Annals of Oncology : Official Journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·H T LynchM J Casey
Feb 4, 2005·The New England Journal of Medicine·George J Annas
Jul 13, 2007·The New England Journal of Medicine·Mark Robson, Kenneth Offit
Sep 18, 2008·Nature Clinical Practice. Gastroenterology & Hepatology·Wendy S Rubinstein, Scott M Weissman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Breast Cancer: BRCA1 & BRCA2

Mutations involving BRCA1, found on chromosome 17, and BRCA2, found on chromosome 13, increase the risk for specific cancers, such as breast cancer. Discover the last research on breast cancer BRCA1 and BRCA2 here.

Alzheimer's Disease: Genetics

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease. Discover genetic and epigenetic aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, including genetic markers and genomic structural variations with this feed.

Related Papers

American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part C, Seminars in Medical Genetics
R Beth DuganNathaniel H Robin
Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part a
Marni J FalkNathaniel H Robin
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved