A positive screening test for an untreatable condition provides psychological relief from uncertainty

doi:10.1136/bmj.311.6996.58c

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Theresa Marteau,
Susan Michie

Director Research fellow Psychology and Genetics Research Group, United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals, Old Medical School Building, Guy's Campus, London SE1 9RT

EDITOR,--The recent ethical debate on the genetic testing of newborn infants for familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy among parents, a cardiologist, a paediatrician, and two medical geneticists1 shows the need for research based evidence in this area.

Their views differ in what defines benefit and how this might be achieved. Peter S Harper and Angus Clarke argue that parents' requests to test their children should be met only when there is clear medical benefit to the child. This, however, excludes the benefit of providing psychological relief …