The next milestone is, typically, a diagnostic test based on the structure, activity, or product of the gene. Farther down the road come therapies, which generally take years to develop. In the limbo period between tests and treatments, numerous thorny ethical issues arise. Members of a family can differ enormously in their desires to learn whether they are harboring a time-bomb gene in their bodies. They also legitimately worry about who will be able to gain access to information about their genes.
Genetic testing can seriously strain family relations.
Early on, testing and screening mostly benefit science rather than individuals. Eventually, tests and screens can provide great benefits to individuals. From the first step to the end of the road, researchers have weighty obligations to those whose genes they are studying. People are as different as their DNA and so are their reactions to genetic news about themselves. Researchers must provide the subjects of their research with both substantive information and appropriate counseling.