Attitudes of nearly 7000 health professionals, genomic researchers and publics toward the return of incidental results from sequencing research.

ABSTRACT: Genome-wide sequencing in a research setting has the potential to reveal health-related information of personal or clinical utility for the study participant. There is increasing pressure to return research findings to participants that may not be related to the project aims, particularly when these could be used to prevent disease. Such secondary, unsolicited or 'incidental findings' (IFs) may be discovered unintentionally when interpreting sequence data, or as the result of a deliberate opportunistic screen. This cross-sectional, web-based survey investigated attitudes of 6944 individuals from 75 countries towards returning IFs from genome research. Participants included four relevant stakeholder groups: 4961 members of the public, 533 genetic health professionals, 843 non-genetic health

SUBMITTER: Middleton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4795240 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature