What’s the downside of genetic testing?
In the United States, fears about being discriminated against when applying for health insurance are not without basis. Even fears about discrimination by employers, although less likely, are not out of the question, although privacy regulations generally prohibit this kind of information from being accessed by most potential employers. Prenatal testing almost always causes anguish for parents if the results show the baby has a disease-causing mutation. Sometimes the test results can’t tell the family how seriously the child is likely to be affected, making the choice of whether or not to continue the pregnancy even more difficult. Some parents would rather just take their chances than have to face this type of decision. Testing that reveals a young child’s genetic destiny may affect relationships within the family or may cause parents more sadness than they would have experienced had events simply unfolded, especially if no treatment for the disease in question is available. A positiv
