[G]ene testing has the potential to transform the way we manage health. The Department of Health and Ageing’s soon-to-be-released framework for genomic testing shows the Commonwealth is thinking seriously about this potential.
Unfortunately, there’s also a down side to this type of genetic testing that doesn’t get much attention. Many genetic associations in genomic testing are weak, making them indicative rather than conclusive. Meaningful interpretation of the results requires specialized skill sets, beyond those held by most health practitioners… [T]here’s a real danger that information based on these genetic tests may be either misinterpreted or misused to discriminate against people.
View the original article here: Gene testing framework ignores privacy and security concerns
