Would You Want To Know Whether You ’re At Risk For Alzheimer’s?

Do genetic tests help in preparing for potential future health issues or open Pandora’s box full of concerns, worries and hypochondriac thoughts? Would you want to know your genetic fate? Whether you are at risk for Alzheimer’s or a chronic disease 30 years in advance? Would you want to live with this kind of information? Would you take the BRCA test to find out that you are at risk for breast cancer? What would you do if you were? The Medical Futurist team contemplated situations requiring hard, life-altering decisions. What would you do? Our genetic heritage carries secrets that are difficult to process In Season 8 of the iconic 2000’s medical comedy-drama series, Scrubs, Dan Stonewater checks her mother into Sacred Heart Hospital with signs of paranoia. It turns out that Mrs. Stonewater has a hereditary degenerative brain condition, Huntington’s disease. The main character, J.D., who became an attending physician during the seasons, suggested him to take a genetic test to find out whether he also inherited it. After being visibly torn, Dan decided against it. He reasoned that he didn’t want to live his life knowing something unavoidable. He said he might have it done in due time but that he just wanted to be free of that burden. A disquieting piece of The New York Times recounts Katharine Moser’s story, who against the advice of her mother, takes a genetic test at 23 years old to find out whether she inherited Huntington’s disease from her grandfather’s lin...
Source: The Medical Futurist - Category: Information Technology Authors: Tags: Bioethics Genomics alzheimer disease DNA dna testing doctor-patient doctor-patient relationship DTC future genetics Huntington's patient empowerment personal genomics Source Type: blogs