This is the second of four articles discussing the broader implications of advances in genetics

Predicting disease on the basis of biological markers, such as serum cholesterol concentration or blood pressure, is not new; the ability to predict disease using DNA is. As the scope for genetic testing extends beyond testing for single gene disorders to testing large sections of the population for genes associated with common disorders it is important to consider what effect this will have on individuals and on society as a whole. Research into the psychological impact of genetic testing in Huntington's disease, cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer has shown that an individual's decision to undergo testing and his or her response on receiving the results are influenced by many factors. This article discusses the nature of these factors and the implication they have for the introduction of widespread genetic screening.

The psychological impact of screening for biological markers associated with increased risk of disease has been well researched.1 Extrapolating from these findings to predict the impact of population based genetic screening of asymptomatic individuals is difficult, though—partly because the predictive value of genetic tests for some …