ACMG recommendations on incidental findings are flawed scientifically and ethically

Incidental findings and future testing methodologies: potential application of the ACMG 2013 recommendations

Reactions to the first clinical recommendations for the return of incidental findings (IFs) from genomic sequencing published by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) were polarized and resolute. Exploring the three main points of controversy: mandatory testing, testing children for adult conditions, and selection of conditions to be reported on, illuminates concerns for ...

Not-so-incidental findings: the ACMG recommendations on the reporting of incidental findings in clinical whole genome and whole exome sequencing.

Introduction The issue of incidental findings in genomics research has been contentious, particularly in whole genome sequencing (WGS) and whole exome sequencing (WES). An incidental or secondary finding has generally been defined as ‘a finding concerning an individual research participant that has potential health or reproductive importance and is discovered in the course of conduct – but is b...

Managing incidental findings in human subjects research: analysis and recommendations.

No consensus yet exists on how to handle incidental findings (IFs) in human subjects research. Yet empirical studies document IFs in a wide range of research studies, where IFs are findings beyond the aims of the study that are of potential health or reproductive importance to the individual research participant. This paper reports recommendations of a two-year project group funded by NIH to st...

New GMC guidance takes a major, ethically flawed, backward step.

Can Routine Commercial Cord Blood Banking Be Scientifically and Ethically Justified?

BACKGROUND TO THE DEBATE Umbilical cord blood--the blood that remains in the placenta after birth--can be collected and stored frozen for years. A well-accepted use of cord blood is as an alternative to bone marrow as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation to siblings or to unrelated recipients; women can donate cord blood for unrelated recipients to public banks. H...