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1997: Recommendations on Genetic Testing

A Task Force on Genetic Testing was created by the NIH-DOE Working Group on Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Human Genome Research to review genetic testing in the United States and make recommendations to ensure the development of safe and effective genetic tests. The Task Force declared that safe and effective genetic tests should not only be valid and useful but that they should be performed in laboratories of assured quality and used appropriately by health care providers and consumers. The Task Force did not recommend policies for specific tests, but suggested a framework for ensuring that new tests meet criteria for safety and effectiveness before they are released, thereby reducing the likelihood of premature clinical use. They called on the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an advisory committee on genetic testing in the Office of the Secretary. (See 1998: Committee on Genetic Testing)

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Reference:

Companion article in Science
Holtzman, N.A., Murphy, P.D., Watson, M.S., Barr, P.A. Predictive genetic testing: From basic research to clinical practice. Science, 278: 602-5. 1997. [PubMed]

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Last Reviewed: April 17, 2008