Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, Wales, UK.
J Med Ethics. 2012 Sep;38(9):527-8; discussion 533-4. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2012-100598. Epub 2012 May 5.
The paper by Mand et al raises important questions about the predictive genetic testing of children. They focus on those claims made by professionals that are open to empirical enquiry and give too little weight to those claims that do not require empirical support. The authors remind us that some commentators oppose empirical enquiry because of the concern that gathering evidence of the consequences of such testing may itself be harmful or unethical. They respond by asserting that the relevant research questions are 'eminently testable' but fail to discuss the challenges of such research, including the questions of timescale, consent or the nature of the data whose collection (they assert) would resolve the perceived difficulties with the genetic testing of children. They conclude that empirical research is required without resolving the weighty arguments against predictive testing of young children or explaining how the evidence they wish to collect could overcome the force of the arguments that favour caution.
曼德等人的论文提出了关于儿童预测性基因检测的重要问题。他们关注那些专业人士提出的、可以进行实证研究的说法，而对那些不需要实证支持的说法重视不够。作者提醒我们，一些评论家反对实证研究，因为他们担心收集此类检测结果的证据本身可能是有害或不道德的。他们回应说，相关的研究问题是“非常可检验的”，但却没有讨论此类研究的挑战，包括时间范围、同意或数据性质等问题，他们断言，收集这些数据（他们声称）将解决对儿童进行基因检测的担忧。他们的结论是需要进行实证研究，但并没有解决反对对幼儿进行预测性检测的重要论点，也没有解释他们希望收集的证据如何克服支持谨慎做法的论点的说服力。
