Abstract
Should a growing market for genetic self-tests be welcomed or feared? From the point of view of personal autonomy the increasing availability of predictive health information seems promising. Yet it is frequently pointed out that genetic information about future health may cause anxiety, distress and even loss of “life-hopes.” In this article the argument that genetic self-tests undermine personal autonomy is assessed and criticized. I contend that opportunities for autonomous choice are not reduced by genetic information but by misperceptions and misunderstandings of the results of genetic tests. Since the interpretation of genetic information is sometimes distorted by the information provided about the genetic products, more attention should be given to deceitful marketing that overblows the utility of genetic products. Yet personal autonomy is reduced neither by genetic tests nor by genetic information and there is consequently no compelling case for the conclusion that genetic self-tests should be prohibited.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lori Andrews (2001) Future Perfect: Confronting Decisions About Genetics. Columbia University Press New York
V. Bonadona et al. (2002) ArticleTitle“Cancer Patients Who Experienced Diagnostic Genetic Testing for Cancer Susceptibility: Reactions and Behavior After the Disclosure of a Positive Test Result” Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention 11 97–104
Thomas Carson et al. (1985) ArticleTitle“An Ethical Analysis of Deception in Advertising” Journal of Business Ethics 4 93–104
Caulfield, Tim et al. “Providing Genetic Testing Through the Private Sector: A View from Canada”. Isuma (2002): 72–81.
Sara Chandros Kiran Prasad (2001) ArticleTitle“Reading Between the Lines: Direct-to-consumer Advertising of Genetic Testing” Hastings Center Report 9 44–48
Childress, James. “The Place of Autonomy in Bioethics”. Hastings Center Report, Jan/Feb (1990): 12–17.
John Christman (1994) The Myth of Property. Oxford University Press New York
Sjef Gevers (1999) ArticleTitle“The Role of Law with Respect to Self-testing” European Journal of Health Law 6 155–164
Sarah Gollust et al. (2002) ArticleTitle“Limitations of Direct-to-consumer Advertising for Clinical Genetic Testing” The Journal of the American Medical Association 288 1762–1767
Sarah Gollust et al. (2003) ArticleTitle“Direct-to-consumer Sales of Genetic Services on the Internet” Genetics in Medicine 5 332–337
Elisabeth Hildt (1999) “Influences of Genetic Testing on a Person’s Freedom” Alison Thompson Ruth Chadwick (Eds) Genetic Information: Acquisition: Access and Control. Kluwer and Plenum Publishers New York and Dordrecht 235–241
Elisabeth Hildt (2002) ArticleTitle“Autonomy and Freedom of Choice in Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis” Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 5 65–71
Rogeer Hoedemaekers Henk ten Have (1998) ArticleTitle“Commercialization of Genetic Services” Medicine Healthcare and Philosophy 1 217–224
Neil Holtzman Michael S. Watson (Eds) (1997) Promoting Safe and Effective Genetic Testing in the United States: Final Report of the Task Force on Genetic Testing. National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD
Sara Chandros Hull Kiran Prasad (2001) ArticleTitle“Reading Between the Lines: Direct-to-consumer Advertising of Genetic Testing” Hastings Center Report 9 44–48
InstitutionalAuthorNameThe Human Genetics Commission (2003) Genes Direct: Ensuring the Effective Oversight of Genetic Tests Supplies Directly to the Public. Department of Health London
Jörgen. Husted (1997) “Autonomy and a Right Not to Know” Ruth Chadwick (Eds) et al. The Right to Know and the Right Not to Know Ashgate Aldershot 55–68
Matti Häyry (2001) Playing God: Essays on Bioethics. Helsinki University Press Helsinki
Sonia Bris ParticleLe (2001) ArticleTitle“Give Me Your DNA, and I’ll Tell You Who You Are... Or Who You’ll Become–Questions Surrounding the Use of Genetic Information in Europe” Isuma 2 90–101
Mairi Levitt (2001) ArticleTitle“Let the Consumer Decide? The Regulation of Commercial Genetic Testing” Journal of Medical Ethics 27 398–403
Onora O’Neill (2002) Autonomy and Trust in Bioethics. Cambridge University Press Cambridge
Joseph Raz (1986) The Morality of Freedom. Clarendon Press Oxford
V. Senior et al. (1999) ArticleTitle“Will Genetic Testing for Predisposition of Disease Result in Fatalism?” Social Science and Medicine 48 1857–1860
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beckman, L. Are Genetic Self-Tests Dangerous? Assessing the Commercialization of Genetic Testing in Terms of Personal Autonomy. Theor Med Bioeth 25, 387–398 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-004-2047-z
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-004-2047-z