Life Just Gets Stranger

[Kzinti_Killer]

I came across this weird discussion on medical ethics the other day. It was in regard some bizarre fallout from screening kids for genetically inherited diseases. Apparently in some cases (1 in 25, or 1 in 10, depending on whose figures you believe) the kid's father is precluded from passing anything on to his son or daughter....because the screening shows that he's not the father, and he has no freaking clue.

The ethical question is, in such a situation do the doctors have an obligation to the man to rat his cheating wife out? I mean, they aren't *looking* to prove or disprove paternity. They're just looking for bad genes.

Rick

[singerchic4]

Man! That's a tough one. I'd like to say that in the case where the lives of the child or of others involved could be affected its a good idea to tell the family. Because if someone is trying to look back at their family's medical history for things like heart disease, cancer, mental illness that its important to know one's genetic background. Doctors may have not found any bad genes...but they can't screen for EVERYTHING so its still a good idea to be able to back track.

Actually, I just remembered that my little sister's DNA is being analyzed as we speak and the only results that they've given back to us so far is "well, she doesn't have any bad genes". They are trying to figure out why her immune system gave out on her. She have been sick since April and they can't figure out what went wrong, or what's wrong with her. All they know is that as long as they keep pumping her full of antibody donations every week that she remains relatively stable.

So, they are trying to figure out if it in her DNA now...so if their tests revealed that somehow my Dad wasn't her father....well, it would be devastating to the family but....maybe whomever this mystery genetic father was he might have some family background that could help shed some light on what's happening to my sister. Its all very long and complicated but I would like to think that in my family's case we would rather KNOW so that my sister could get better. But ours is an extreme case where the doctors are all stumped and looking for answers that could save her life.


Whoa Rick, you seem to have hit the nail on the head with my family
Who knew?

Lindsay

[killjoy]

For me I think the right thing to do would be for the doctor to tell the husband.If the man was a true dad I don't think he could just forget the years the boy/girl was his child and suddenly stop loving them.