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Article: Genetic Testing: Ethical Issues
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- Genetics
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Genetic Testing: Ethical Issues
Genetic testing is the name given to a variety of laboratory techniques, all of which ultimately provide information about a person's underlying genetic makeup, also called their genotype. Genetic information is of interest because it can help in the diagnosis of a current health condition or provide insight into future health.
Advances in Genetic Science
Early understanding of genetic disease was first obtained about "single-gene disorders." These disorders include such diseases as sickle cell disease and
cystic fibrosis. They occur because of the strong influence of a mutation in a single gene. Using the tremendous amounts of information about the ...