THE POTENTIAL SOCIAL IMPACT OF PREDICTIVE GENETIC TESTING FOR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO COMMON CHRONIC DISEASES - A REVIEW AND PROPOSED RESEARCH AGENDA

Recent advances in molecular genetics are making it increasingly feasible to construct individual genetic profiles predicting susceptibility to heart disease, cancer and respiratory disorders. This paper reviews current knowledge about the social and cultural impact of providing people with information relating to their risk for future disease, focusing not only on currently available predictive genetic testing but also on hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and cancer screening. We highlight the importance of issues of probability and uncertainty, and the tension between collective and individual goals in the assessment of medical risk. We conclude with a proposed research agenda for studies of the social and cultural impact of predictive genetic testing, and argue that there is a pressing need for rigorous, empirical, social research in this area.