Consumer Perspectives on Genetic Testing: Implications for Building Family-Centered Public Policies

Genetic testing can provide unique information about the certainties, susceptibilities and risks of an individual's future health status. Genetic tests can also reveal information about the genetic makeup of family members as well as the individual choosing to be tested. Tests can yield information to parents of their combined risk of having offspring with specific genetic conditions. With increased availability of genetic tests that measure a full range of genetic related health problems, mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that testing is used in a beneficial, not a harmful, manner. Listening to the experiences of consumers, who have already utilized genetic testing, is essential to creating appropriate genetic testing policies.