Preparing for the Ethical Practice of Precision Medicine

The role of genetics in medicine is changing quickly. New discoveries are rapidly bridging the chasm from bench to bedside, and in addition to medical advances, thousands of people are exploring their genetic traits and ancestry through direct-to-consumer companies. Staying abreast of these changes and their potential implications for patient care can be difficult. To help, we suggest several high-level points of reference regarding the current state of genomic medicine, with a focus on the ethical and social issues raised by these technologies. This review covers the rise of genomic medicine, information overload, direct access to genetic information, genetic discrimination, and informed consent. Tables list the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommendations for reporting of incidental findings in clinical exome and genome sequencing, an excerpt from the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and genetics education resources for physicians. This review contains 3 tables, and 44 references. Key words: Genomic medicine, genetic medicine, medical genetics, genetic testing, direct-to-consumer genetics, genetic discrimination