Deck 16: Ethical Issues in Testing for Genetic Disease

Question 1

Regarding breast cancer, it is true that:

A) Prophylactic mastectomy does not give women with BRAC1 or BRAC2 genes any extra years of life.
B) No lab in the country allows a woman to pay and then send in a blood sample to get blood tested for BRAC1.
C) The BRAC2 gene solely causes breast cancer and is not implicated in any other kinds of cancers.
D) Mark Skolnick of the University of Utah proved that one form of breast cancer is inherited, and a team lead by Mary Claire King discovered BRAC1, the first gene for breast cancer.
E) In the 1960's, women diagnosed with breast cancer favored getting radical mastectomies over less radical surgeries until it was proven that lumpectomies gave them just as much benefit as radical mastectomies.

Answer 1

In the 1960's, women diagnosed with breast cancer favored getting radical mastectomies over less radical surgeries until it was proven that lumpectomies gave them just as much benefit as radical mastectomies.

Question 2

GINA refers to a federal law that forbids:

A) Sexual discrimination.
B) Discrimination in employment or insurance based on genetic testing.
C) Discrimination against transgendered people.
D) Mandatory genetic testing in the workplace.
E) Mandatory genetic testing in a family.

Answer 2

Discrimination in employment or insurance based on genetic testing.

Question 3

If you have two copies of a gene for breast cancer, there is now some evidence that which of the following may increase your longevity?

A) A double mastectomy.
B) Taking Vitamin A.
C) Taking Vitamin C.
D) Doing nothing.
E) Getting good counseling and education.

Answer 3

A double mastectomy.

Question 4

Why is Nancy Wexler against taking the test for Huntington's?

A) Once you take the test, you can't get the results back.
B) If you test positive, you may develop a sick identity.
C) Testing is a family issue and she would need permission of others in the family.
D) Most people can't get good counseling before they take the test or afterwards.
E) All of the above.

Question 5

Which of the following is false?

A) Most people initially want to take pre-symptomatic tests for genetic disease to find out that they do not have the gene for the disease.
B) After the people at risk for Huntington's disease are counseled, most of them today take the test.
C) Nancy Wexler and other leaders of medical genetics believe that genetic testing is best conceptualized as a family issue, not as a personal, individual issue.
D) Nancy Wexler believes that most people today cannot get good counseling before they take a pre-symptomatic test for Huntington's.
E) About a decade passed between discovery of the marker for Huntington's disease (and a linkage test) and discovery of the actual gene for Huntington's 161.

Question 6

If someone has two copies of the gene for diabetes type II, and the risk in his ethnic group is 40%, what is his life-long chance of getting this condition?

A) 4%
B) 14%
C) Over 50%
D) 84%
E) 100%

Question 7

The best evidence that teenagers at risk for type II diabetes can prevent it comes from:

A) Studies of other American teenagers.
B) Studies of immigrants from other countries with healthier diets.
C) Genetic studies.
D) Animal studies.
E) Paternity studies.