ETHICAL ISSUES IN PRENATAL TESTING

Many ethical concerns raised by prenatal testing are based on the use and effects of genetic information in nonclinical contexts. Correct or incorrect beliefs about social uses of genetic information may limit the voluntariness of informed consent to prenatal testing. A qualitati ve study of persons predictively tested for Huntington's disease illus trates how the social context, in this case the family history of bein g at risk, affects the interpretation of the genetic information and a lters relationships. This constitutes a risk of genetic testing. Prena tal testing also requires ethical analysis based on careful understand ing of how social attitudes and nonclinical uses affect voluntariness and potential harm and benefits of testing. Investigators conducting r esearch on prenatal tests share the responsibility to evaluate social attitudes toward at-risk persons, nonclinical uses of genetic informat ion, and the social benefits and harm of such uses.