Genetic testing looks at a person's DNA.
The relative cheapness and accuracy of genetic testing is inducing more and more people to have DNA tests done, whether it be for paternity or family planning. Although this procedure is fairly safe when done properly, it does carry some mostly sociological risks rather than health dangers. Risks also can involve the mishandling of data.
History
Historians usually cite the German scientist Gregor Mendel's 1868 pea plant experiments at his Augustinian monastery as the beginning of modern genetic testing, according to the National Museum of Health. The first diagnostic genetic tests were blood-typing procedures during the 1920's to determine fatherhood. Blood testing is fairly inaccurate, but was generally the only option until DNA testing became more widely used during the 1980's, according to DNA Diagnostic Center.
Psychological
A 2001 study on the psychological effects of genetic testing for Huntington's disease, an incurable degenerative neurological disorder, showed short-term negative psychological results. Short-term effects included an 11 to 33 percent increase in thoughts about suicide. However, these thoughts of hopelessness generally subsided around 12 months after testing positive for the disease. Meiser and Dunn, authors of the 2001 Huntington's study, note that overcoming depression due to testing positive for HD could be that patients are screened for psychological responses to the test; those with depression are unlikely to be advised to test for Huntington's.
Health
When performed on a fully developed human, genetic testing poses no practical health risks. Paternity testing, usually during the first two trimesters, poses the most--however small--health risk, according to the American Pregnancy Association. A DNA test to determine paternity requires removing amniotic fluid from the womb, which could injure the child or cause a miscarriage.
Privacy
Perhaps the most pressing danger from genetic testing stems from the possibility of sensitive information about our chromosomes falling into the wrong hands, reports an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Many of the dangers of genetic information have yet to surface. Current DNA privacy concerns include researchers using DNA samples for purposes other than the original diagnostic test. Most genetic testing requires the patient to sign over authority of the sample to the technician.
Benefits
Although there are concerns about the negative side effects of genetic testing, the benefits of DNA diagnostics generally outweigh any downsides. DNA testing allows doctors and families to plan for the future onset of potential diseases. This might even discourage carriers of incurable conditions from propagating debilitating genes to children. Genetic testing is often credited with helping all but eliminate Tay-Sachs disease in Jewish people, claims ScienceProgress.org.
Tags: genetic testing, testing positive
