This article is about whether people should be given tests that address their risk of getting Alzheimer’s, and whether they should be told the results of the tests. And it’s about physicians’ views on the same topics.
There was a related discussion about a year ago on the local PBS radio station. The interviewee was Dave Iverson, who has Parkinson’s Disease. His father had PD and his brother has PD. He was asked if he wanted to know whether he carried a genetic mutation associated with PD. He said he did not. He was willing to participate in research studies of his genetic profile but told researchers not to pass the results to him. I believe he also said that after he died, researchers could provide the info to his daughter, if she wanted to know.
There are obviously many viewpoints on these topics. Presumably medical ethicists will need to advise medical centers on how to proceed.
Robin
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/health/18moral.html
THE VANISHING MIND
Tests Detect Alzheimer’s Risks, but Should Patients Be Told?
By Gina Kolata
New York Times
December 17, 2010