Your patient, Maggie, insists that her mother have genetic testing to determine if her breast cancer is connected to a mutation in the BRCA1/2 genes. Maggie isconcerned about her own risk for getting breast cancer and that of her children, but Maggie's mom does not want to be tested. What ethical principle is one of several that must be considered in evaluating this case?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maggie's mother has a right to keep her genetic information private even though Maggie would like to know if her mother carries a BRCA1/2 mutation. The nurse's duty to warn does not play a role here, and Maggie's mother is not interested in her right to know. Although Maggie wants to make an autonomous decision and have her mother tested, her autonomy does not extend to testing done on her mother.

Your Patient, Maggie, Insists That Her Mother Have Genetic Testing