Ethical considerations towards individual results delivery and the consequences of incidental findings in the whole genome and exome sequencing

Abstract

There are more and more genome and exome sequencing studies every day in which subjects with different demographics are included, especially age differences, from infants to adults. Precisely today’s advanced techniques represent serious tools that provide not only one simple answer, but more complex plural answers. A special issue within this dilemma remains the incidental findings. It is clear that the true challenge of an investigation is solving the particular problem, disease, mutation (mystery), but it is even more challenging when an unexpected finding is discovered. In this article we review the different attitudes towards manipulation with individual results and consequently with incidental molecular findings, through presentation of some ethical dilemmas that circulate the scientific community.