Physician responsibility in conducting genetic testing.

The rapid growth of DNA-based tests raises complex questions about how to integrate them efficiently into clinical medicine and about the medicolegal consequences of rapidly shifting standards of practice. Standards of practice change in response to many factors; the most important are guidelines promulgated by professional bodies or published comments by opinion leaders, malpractice litigation, and legislation. Recently, human geneticists have successfully shaped the clinical use of tests for Huntington's disease and carrier screening for cystic fibrosis. Clinical geneticists, oncologists, and others should work together now to develop practice standards for the use of new DNA-based predictive tests for breast, colon, and other cancers.