The American Society of Human Genetics
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814-3998
301-571-1825; FAX: 301-530-7079
NEWS For Release: March 1, 2000
Genetic Testing and Adoption
Bethesda, MD --The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) and The American College of Medical Genetics Social Issues Committees urge great caution prior to subjecting adoptive children to predictive genetic tests.
In a statement to be published in the March 2000 issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, experts agree that genetic testing of newborns and children in the adoption process should be consistent with the tests performed on all children of a similar age for the purposes of diagnosis or of identifying appropriate prevention strategies.
According to the report, Genetic Testing and Adoption, prospective adoptive parents are requesting a wider range of genetic tests before, during, or immediately after the adoption process and that the pressure for genetic testing in adoption will increase as the range of available genetic tests increases. The authors make clear that the justification for genetic testing of any child must be timely medical benefit to the child and should be limited to testing for conditions which manifest themselves during childhood or for which preventive measures or therapies may be undertaken during childhood.
The report highlights the American Academy of Pediatrics position that allowing adoptive parents to gain access to a child's predisposition to a genetic condition that may never develop treats the adopted child differently from other children of a similar age and places a burden of perfection on the adopted child.
The ASHG, founded in 1948, is the primary professional membership organization for human geneticists in North America. Over 6,500 members include researchers, academicians, clinicians, laboratory practice professionals, genetic counselors, nurses and others involved in human genetics.
The report can be found on the Society's website: http://www.faseb.org/genetics (under Policy Statements)
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Contact:
Jane Salomon 301-571-1825 [email protected]
Mark Rothstein, Chair, ASHG Social Issues Committee 713-743-2105
[email protected]
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