Ethics of genetic testing in the NICU

Ever get caught in a sticky ethical situation regarding genetic testing? You're not alone. Join us as we try to navigate these real life issues.

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This episode was written by pediatricians Tammy Yau and Lidia Park with content support from Video Jhaveri (UC Davis neonatology fellow). Pediatricians Tammy and Lidia take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation. 

Key points:

• Genetic testing may seem relatively benign and non-invasive but is actually fraught with unforeseen issues such as surprise consanguinity and non-paternity.
• Racial and economic disparities are prevalent with genetic testing and their interpretation. For example most test value interpretations are based on people of European and Asian descent.
• We cannot easily predict outcomes and prognosticate even with genetic testing. Prognosis is often fraught with the issue of promoting "ableism".

Sources:

Katharine P. Callahan, Ellen W. Clayton, Amy A. Lemke, Bimal P. Chaudhari, Tara L. Wenger, Allison N. J. Lyle, Kyle B. Brothers; Ethical and Legal Issues Surrounding Genetic Testing in the NICU. Neoreviews March 2024; 25 (3): e127–e138. https://doi.org/10.1542/neo.25-3-e127