![]() The researchers must now decide what to do with this information. Because they are inherently unexpected, it is difficult to fully plan for incidental findings, but once they arise, researchers are faced with three ethical components they must meet: that the information is correct, that the disclosure of information follows the law, and that the welfare of the participants is protected. During the study, the researchers discover this individual has a mutation that will cause him to develop ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), an incurable neuromuscular disease that eventually causes death, later in life. When researchers investigate an individual’s DNA sequence for one purpose, they may discover something important that was not part of their original aim. These findings might have clinical significance to the person who gave the sample. For example, an individual may have his genome sequenced while participating in a research study on the heredity of intelligence. There are some serious and tangled ethical issues associated with incidental findings. However, unforeseen circumstances can arise that are not addressed in the informed consent document. ![]() When a person signs a consent form, they agree to certain uses of their information and the samples that are taken during a study. ![]() Reporting Incidental Findings Image courtesy of Flickr ![]()
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