What are the ethical considerations when someone is tested positive for a genetic condition?

First need to know the inheritance pattern, e.g. autosomal dominant/recessive or X-linked, to calculate the risk of offspring or siblings being affected with the condition.Patient confidentiality is a major consideration here - we need to establish whether the patient wishes to disclose this information and explain the potential consequences for their children and siblings.Consider the four pillars of medical ethics - autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.Legal standpoint - at the moment, the law does not find reason for confidentiality to be breached in the situation of inherited conditions, however, this area of medical law is constantly evolving especially in light of rapid advances in the availability of genome sequencing technology.

BJ
Answered by Benjamin J. Medical School Preparation tutor

1449 Views

See similar Medical School Preparation Mentoring tutors

Related Medical School Preparation Mentoring answers

All answers ▸

How much work experience do I need to have before applying medical school?


What should I include in my Personal Statement when applying to study medicine?


Medicine is Hard. How are you able to balance this out?


A complication during a scheduled surgery means that a child patient is heavily bleeding and needs a blood transfusion. However the patient is a Jehovah's witness and the parents do not want the child to have a blood transfusion. What do you do?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning