[Information for family members with an increased risk for a genetic disease]

Abstract

After a genetic diagnosis a physician might deem it important to inform family members of his counselee who might have an increased risk of having a certain genetic predisposition. Against this background this contribution analyzes the following ethical questions: 1. To what extent is the physician ethically obligated to see to it that the family members are being informed? 2. Are there circumstances under which the physician is ethically allowed to violate his obligation of confidentiality? 3. Is it ethically allowed to refuse a genetic test when the counselee does not agree with informing family members even if this might clearly be in their interest? 4. Is it ethically allowed to inform family members about an increased risk of a genetic predisposition in the family without their explicit request?