Crucial questions should be answered before the era of personal genomics comes of age

Sep 21 2007

Giving Nobel Laureate James Watson his personal genome was just the beginning.

In a future that promises similar information to much of the population, ethicists, scientists and physicians are only beginning to understand and consider the possibilities.

In a commentary in the journal Science, four experts ponder the implications of this new technology and information and ask the crucial questions that should be answered before the era of personal genomics comes to pass.

Drs. Amy L. McGuire of Baylor College of Medicine, Mildred K. Cho of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California; Sean E. McGuire of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Timothy Caulfield of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, combined their different perspectives to consider the what is possible now and in the future. Along with that, they look at the ethical and legal issues that will inevitably arise with such technology.