Balancing the privacy of patients and research subjects with the advancement and integrity of genomic science is a tall order, but it’s an issue at the center of policy recommendations being crafted by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. Late last week, the commission, which includes some of the nation's top bioethicists, concluded a year-long series of public meetings designed to help create more informed policies regarding the use of whole genome sequencing as it becomes a clinical reality and continues to drive research on a range of human conditions. The commission gave a taste of the recommendations it will present to President Barack Obama this fall.
The draft recommendations centered on patient privacy, consent, and access to genomic sequencing data, while stressing the need to balance these concerns with a certain amount of academic freedom that would allow researchers to fully utilize, share, and probe the ...
