If a genome does not always predict, it can identify, raising questions around privacy and access. Should medical DNA records be released to the police? Should parents be allowed to view their children’s genomes when this could reveal unexpected paternity or more?
These are important issues without easy answers, which we have to debate as a society. We can’t afford to be distracted by intriguing thought experiments which don’t match up with the science. Like good science fiction, good public engagement has to be informed by reality. Science might not have the answers, but it can help with the questions.
Read the full, original story here: Human genome sequencing: the real ethical dilemma
