Issues in GENETIC TESTING of CHILDREN

In Brief Commentary about the ethical issues involved in the genetic testing in children (GTIC) has centered around beliefs that early testing of children when no medical benefits are anticipated should be discouraged. This article discusses the types of GTIC and the contexts of possible testing scenarios, and provides a review of the current research into the effects of such testing on children and their families. As data cannot support either substantive benefits or harms accrued after GTIC, it is recommended that the traditional ethical analysis based on principled theory be augmented by theories that reflect a family-centered ethic. Parents whose child requires genetic testing face many ethical issues. This article discusses those issues and describes what nurses should know to best help parents with these dilemmas.