ACMG Education Workgroups-November 19 - The Ethical Principles Every Geneticist Needs to Know

November 19 - The Ethical Principles Every Geneticist Needs to Know

Pdf Summary

The educational activity on ethical principles for geneticists focused on providing participants a thorough understanding of crucial ethical guidelines necessary for professionals in genetics. Key learnings included the significance of state laws and practice guidelines, distinctions between consent and assent, and the challenges associated with disclosing genetic information to family members. Specific attention was given to complexities in handling Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUS) and balancing patient autonomy with the duty to disclose risks.<br /><br />Participants noted the importance of these principles in various applications, including patient counseling, laboratory practices, and institutional policy adaptation. The feedback highlighted a need for more complex case examples, especially in reproductive genetics and clinical practice, and a demand for more interactive sessions focusing on specific ethical challenges. The majority found the session beneficial with suggestions for increased complexity and engagement.<br /><br />Concerning the content's expected coverage, 93% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the activity met their expectations. Disclosure of financial relationships was confirmed by 99.24% of participants, ensuring transparency. Only 10.61% indicated a performance or quality gap that could be addressed in future programs. The presentations were considered balanced and free of commercial bias, with an average score of 1.02 indicating minimal bias. Presenter effectiveness was rated highly, with average scores above 4.67 out of 5, reflecting strong knowledge and organization.<br /><br />Overall, while the sessions met the educational objectives with high ratings, participants recommended enhancements in depth and interactivity for future activities to better address ethical issues in genetics practice.

Keywords

ethical principles

geneticists

genetics

consent

assent

Variants of Uncertain Significance

patient autonomy

reproductive genetics

clinical practice

interactive sessions