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Ethical Considerations In Genetics And Genomics: A Case Study

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Ethical Considerations in Genetics and Genomics Ethical duties of genetic testing is a challenge among healthcare workers. Ethical dilemmas are created due to situations resulting from genetic testing. Ethical dilemmas is created when genetic testing reveals vital information to a patient and the patient refuses to disclose information to family members that can be affected. Healthcare workers are to protect the privacy of patient’s health records according to the Health Insurance Probability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) (Butts & Rich, 2016). On the other hand, according to the American Nurses Association (ANA) the primary obligation is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people or the population as a whole (Butts & Rich, 2016). Healthcare workers are faced with an ethical choice. The ethical choice for genetic testing is to reveal information to family members if the greatest outcome is beneficial to the family member. …show more content…

Joan had genetic testing that revealed a risk of heredity breast/ovarian cancer. Joan and her sister are estranged and Joan does not want to disclose the results to her sister. Joan’s sister carries a high risk of developing breast/ovarian cancer (Lea, 2008). Healthcare workers are faced with the dilemma to notify her sister of the results or to protect Joan’s privacy. Ethically the results should be reported to her sister due to it could reduce her risk of developing cancer or can ensure early detection. The ethical principle of utilitarianism should be applied. Utilitarianism is maximizing the happiness, good, or moral consequences of one’s decisions and actions. Utilitarianism in healthcare is to produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Butts & Rich,

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