The Case for Paternalism in Genetic Testing
By Laura Hercher,
Wired
| 01. 14. 2013
“So,” the journalist interviewing me asked, “you are for paternalism, then?”
Pause. I feel the linguistic walls closing in on me. Are you for paternalism? Are you against life? When did you stop beating your wife?
The case against paternalism in genetics is a cause célèbre among many scientists and science writers. The argument generally paints a picture of the medical professional as some sort of hybrid nanny-thug, protecting consenting adults from viewing their own genomes as though they were small children begging to play with knives, and at the same time fighting a bare-knuckle brawl with DTC companies to defend their turf as the only legitimate explicators of medical significance (because fortunes ride on the right to explain complex inheritance patterns and probability to the worried well. Please.).
The genome is not such a scary place and we have a right to our own genetic information. This case is made by many, including
Virginia Hughes at Slate and
Razib Khan at Discover and
Daniel MacArthur at Wired. These arguments are smart, well-written, ethically unassailable to a point –...
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The Center for Genetics and Society is delighted to recommend the current edition of GMWatch Review – Number 589. UK-based GMWatch, a long-standing ally, was founded in 1998 by Jonathan Matthews as an independent organization seeking to counter the enormous corporate political power and propaganda of the GMO industry and its supporters. Matthews and Claire Robinson are its directors and managing editors.
CGS works to ensure that social justice, equity, human rights, and democratic governance are front...