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Review
. 2008 Feb;9(2):152-6.
doi: 10.1038/nrg2302.

Research ethics and the challenge of whole-genome sequencing

Amy L McGuire  1 , Timothy Caulfield, Mildred K Cho
Affiliations
Review

Research ethics and the challenge of whole-genome sequencing

Amy L McGuire et al. Nat Rev Genet. 2008 Feb.

Abstract

The recent completion of the first two individual whole-genome sequences is a research milestone. As personal genome research advances, investigators and international research bodies must ensure ethical research conduct. We identify three major ethical considerations that have been implicated in whole-genome research: the return of research results to participants; the obligations, if any, that are owed to participants' relatives; and the future use of samples and data taken for whole-genome sequencing. Although the issues are not new, we discuss their implications for personal genomics and provide recommendations for appropriate management in the context of research involving individual whole-genome sequencing.

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