Document Details
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Document Type |
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Article In Journal |
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Document Title |
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Correspondence re: Prevalence of factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A gene mutation نسبة انتشار العامل V Leiden والطفرة الجينية G20210Aلتخثر الدم. |
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Subject |
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Genetic disorders |
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Document Language |
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English |
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Abstract |
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I have read the article “Prevalence of factor V Leiden and Prothrombin G20210A gene mutation”by Irdem et al with great interest and appreciate the authors’ efforts. However, I was concerned that the study was carried out on children and adolescents rather than adults. It is recommended that predictive genetic testing should only be performed on children if it is in their best interest. This view is shared by most leading authorities in Medical Genetics including the American society of Human Genetics, the American College of Medical Genetics, and the Canadian Collage of Medical Genetics, in addition to guidelines set forth by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society. Genetic testing of asymptomatic children for adult onset disorders is discouraged for various reasons including: removing the child’s right to confidentiality, changing the family’s perception of the child, potential damage of self-esteem, anxiety generation, enabling social stigmatization, production of parental obligation to determine the right time to inform the child, enabling discrimination (education, employment, insurance) and removing the opportunity for gradual adaptation to potential disease. Its is therefore endorsed that the main justification for genetic testing in children should be timely medical benefit to the child involved.
Even in Adults, DNA testing for asymptomatic individuals has many drawbacks and requires careful pre-testing genetic counseling by an experienced professional to ensure the patient understands the pros and cons of testing, including the potential harms involved before proceeding future. I did not see anything in the methods section regarding genetic counseling of the subjects or their caregivers prior to testing. This may have been carried out but not written. I consider the possibility that perhaps the patients were never informed pf the result, therefore, removing the necessity of counseling and the potential harm of testing. If that is the case, I would still recommend that this be mentioned especially in a Medical Journal with such a wide range of readers, most of whom were not in the genetics field, as this may send the inappropriate message that genetic testing of asymptomatic children or adults is with no restrictions. |
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ISSN |
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0379-5284 |
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Journal Name |
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Saudi Medical Journal |
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Volume |
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26 |
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Issue Number |
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11 |
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Publishing Year |
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1426 AH
2005 AD |
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Article Type |
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Comment |
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Added Date |
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Friday, February 12, 2010 |
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Researchers
| جمانة يوسف الأعمى | AL- Aama, Jumana Y | Researcher | Doctorate | jalama@kau.edu.sa |
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