Still Another Ethical Conundrum

[Welcome Industry Radar readers!]

Several months ago I blogged on a new test to determine the likelihood that one may be more or less susceptible to having Alzheimer's. At the time, I questioned the usefulness of the test, and asked whether one was better off knowing the results.

The issue there was about personal choice and priority. After all, since we don't know what causes Alzheimer's, there's really nothing one can do (at this point) to either increase or decrease that likelihood. Perhaps I should have asked whether or not we should be requiring our parents to take that test, to see if we in the sandwich generation will face an added burden.

Reason I bring this up is this news article:

"Sequenom, Inc., a leading provider of genetic-analysis solutions, announced positive results from screening studies using the Company’s noninvasive circulating cell-free fetal ... nucleic acid SEQureDx™ Technology, which enables the detection of fetal aneuploidy, including Down syndrome from maternal blood."

In short, they can now (reliably) test for Down's syndrome.

So what?

Well, what happens if one tests positive? And what other "problems" will this testing allow for: diabetes, MS, brown eyes, female? And what does one do with the results?

Tough questions.

[Hat Tip: Hugh Hewitt]