This issue is being resolved by the development of better and more accurate tests. Ultimately, I think these issues will be resolved in such a way as to make genetic testing a good choice for people concerned about their health. Genetic testing will lead to better, more accurate diagnoses and give doctors a chance to start treatment earlier, before symptoms become severe or permanent damage is done. Children tested for familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease associated with a risk for sudden death, can be given drugs to prevent arrhythmia. Being able to start treatment early can lead to longer life or at least a longer period of health for those who have inherited certain genetic disorders.
Genetic testing can also lead to better risk management and more informed decisions.
When a gene is discovered that is a risk factor for a disease, such as heart disease, knowing that the risk is there will often help persuade a patient to take better care of himself and lessen other risk factors for that disease, for example by exercising, eating right, and quitting smoking. It also adds to the information a patient has for making decisions about treatment or prevention options. When a person finds out he or she is a carrier for a disease like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia, there is a decision to be made whether or not to have children with someone else who carries the faulty gene and risk having a child with the disease. Genetic testing is useful for identification. It can be used to identify the remains of people whose bodies are damaged to the point where other identifying features are unavailable.