Health-care professionals' responsibility to patients' relatives in genetic medicine: a systematic review and synthesis of empirical research.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The extent of the responsibility of health-care professionals (HCPs) to ensure that patients' relatives are told of their risk is unclear. Current international guidelines take confidentiality to the individual patient as the default position, but some suggest that disclosure could be default and genetic information could be conceptualized as familial.

Methods

Our systematic review and synthesis of 17 studies explored the attitudes of HCPs, patients, and the public regarding the extent of HCPs' responsibility to relatives with respect to disclosure.

Results

Health-care professionals generally felt a responsibility to patients' relatives but perceived a variety of reasons why it would be difficult to act on this responsibility. Public/patient views were more wi

SUBMITTER: Dheensa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4823639 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature