Comments on: Bioethicist Arthur Caplan Says Corporate Greed Drives Genetic Testing Marketplace

By: helen dezel

helen dezel — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:38:34 +0000

Argh!! Genetic testing – another benefit that my family will never be able to afford as an average American these days. And of course, my family would be a study in anomolies and “zebras.” If it is a one in five million chance, we will get it. Scleroderma, celiac sprue, lymphoma, lupus, MS, CRAO, Hyper IgM, arthritis, interstitial cystitis, IBS, Eczema, basal cell carcinoma — we are running rampant with autoimmune, primary immune and functional illnesses in a family of 20. Severe exposure to a Superfund site and we starting going down like dominoes starting in the 70’s. The genetic mutation has been found in the third generation but others should be tested. My entire family should probably should stop breeding. However, we will never know because the much-needed genetic testing is far beyond our financial reach these days. We are barely holding our heads above water just getting treatment. Americans without universal health coverage, many members of my family are just months away from bankruptcy. But hey thanks to all the genetic testing companies for reminding us that medicine, like justice, is for the rich in the U.S.

By: Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:05:32 +0000

Thanks for clarifying, Mike. I saw that but thought it was an omission on SNPedia! Post corrected.

By: D

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:57:16 +0000

I am shocked that Mr. Caplan believes that the genetics companies like DeCode are looking to make some kind of profit on their endeavors — it’s almost un-european…

By: cariaso

cariaso — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:43:06 +0000

Actually SNPedia shows that 6 of the 7 snps are on the 23andMe v2, however
http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs4415084
is only present on the older 23andMe v1, and has been removed from the newer v2.

By: Mr. Gunn

Mr. Gunn — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:28:26 +0000

I just don’t think the argument holds water. If someone wants the data, who is Caplan to say they should or shouldn’t get it? The only way to get from here to the conclusions he’s making is to presume that people don’t understand that information comes with uncertainties, something that most genetic testing companies take extreme pains to point out.

I think maybe he’s in the “less information is better” camp, but worse, thinks that everyone should be.

Perhaps I’m a little grumpy having just moved to California, where it seems like whenever someone doesn’t like something, their approach is to get it banned for everyone, but consider this for a moment: Are there physicoethicists, or chemoethicists, or astronomoethicists? If not, is the presumption that biologists are somehow less ethical than physicists or chemists?