Responding to a Request for Information
As a cytogeneticist who has spent several years studying the causes of human chromosome abnormalities, you are frequently asked to provide background information (and especially risk information) to couples who perceive themselves to be at an increased risk for chromosomally abnormal pregnancies. A young couple found your name through a Down syndrome-related web site, and contacted you by phone. They have had one previous pregnancy, which resulted in a child with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). They are mid-way through a second pregnancy, which also has been diagnosed as trisomy 21. Not surprisingly, they are concerned about subsequent pregnancies and want to know if all of their pregnancies will involve a fetus with an extra chromosome 21. Your lab has the expertise to conduct and/or interpret tests (e.g., analyses of parental origin and heterozygosity/homozygosity in trisomic individuals; analyses of aneuploidy in male gametes) that may address some of their concerns. These tests are not routinely conducted by clinical laboratories in their area.
How do you respond?
Suppose they ask you to conduct clinical tests not available to them in their locale. How do you respond?
How should you respond?
Cite this page:
"Responding to a Request for Information"
Online Ethics Center for Engineering
9/11/2006 2:37:25 PM
National Academy of Engineering
Accessed: Tuesday, October 07, 2008
<www.onlineethics.org/CMS/research/modindex/resethpages/reqinfo.aspx>