How should disclosures of genetic test results to family members be handled?

• A. Share results with all relatives automatically to maximize benefit.
• B. Never inform relatives under any circumstances.
• C. Privacy rights of the patient; shared genetic information; obtain patient consent; consider potential harm/benefit to relatives.
• D. Require court order to disclose results to family.

Answer: (C)

Disclosures of genetic test results to family members must respect the patient’s privacy and autonomy while recognizing that relatives may be at risk. Genetic information is personal health information, and sharing it without the patient’s consent can undermine trust and violate confidentiality. The best approach is to discuss the potential implications for relatives with the patient, obtain the patient’s informed consent before sharing, and only disclose information when the patient agrees, while weighing the potential benefits to relatives against possible harms to the patient. This balances the obligation to protect confidentiality with the goal of preventing harm to at-risk relatives. Automatically sharing with all relatives or never informing them both miss the patient’s rights and the possible benefits to others, and requiring a court order is unnecessary and overly restrictive in standard practice.