Product Description: The Decision Trap questions a dogma of our time: the assumption that genetic education empowers citizens and increases their autonomy. It argues that professional instructions about genes, genetic risks, and genetic test options convey a genetic worldview which destroys self-confidence and makes clients dependent on genetic experts and technologies...read more

Product Description: Genetic counseling is fairly new. The fact that the field is an accepted professional enterprise in universities, clinics, and hospitals throughout the United States is remarkable. The contributors argue that genetics and medicine rest on beliefs widely held in American society...read more

Contributions to this study are drawn both from health professionals engaged in genetic counselling and from observers and critics with backgrounds in law, philosophy, biology, and the social sciences. This diversity will enable health professonals to examine their activities with a fresh eye, and will help the observer-critic to understand the ethical problems that arise in genetic counselling practice, rather than in imaginary encounters. Most examinations of the ethical issues raised by genetics are concerned in a broad sense with the application of new technology to human reproduction. This volume focuses on genetic counselling and screening as such, providing valuable insights for the health professional, social scientist, philosopher, lawyer, and bioethicist.

Genetic counselors translate the findings of scientific investigation into meaningful accounts that enable individuals and families to make decisions about their lives.  This collection of original papers explores the history, values, and norms of that process, with some focus on the value of nondirectiveness in counseling practice.  The contributors; examination of genetic counseling issues serves as a foundation from which to address other ethical, legal, and policy considerations in the expanding universe of clinical genetics.