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The “New” Genetics: Emerging Medicolegal Issues in the Prenatal Diagnosis of Hereditary Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 May 2021

Aubrey Milunsky  and
Philp Reilly
Aubrey Milunsky
Affiliation:
Genetics Laboratory, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center for Mental Retardation; Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
Philp Reilly
Affiliation:
Medical Genetics Center, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston; University of Houston Law School
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Abstract

Major advances in prenatal genetic diagnosis have occurred in the past few years which pose difficult challenges to the law. This paper raises questions relative to family history taking, genetic counseling, carrier detection, amniocentesis, and prenatal genetic studies, and also raises questions with respect to the rights and responsibilities of the patient, the fetus, the physician, and society in light of such modern advances. Law reform often occurs only after prior harm to an individual, family or group. Perception and delineation of the most important issues in this area should serve to stimulate the development of medicolegal guidelines and corrective legislation prior to the occurrence of a genetic tragedy.

Type
Comment
Information
American Journal of Law & Medicine , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , March 1975 , pp. 71 - 88
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics and Boston University 1975

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Footnotes

*

Research on the materials reported in this article was supported by Public Health Service Grant Number 1-PO1-HD05515-01, and NICHHD Contract Number 71-2451.

Reprints of this article can be obtained from Dr. Aubrey Milunsky, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, Genetics Laboratory, 200 Trapelo Road, Waltham, Mass. 02154.

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61 N.C. Code Ann. Ch. 143B-196 (Supp. 1973).

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