Disclosure of Misattributed Paternity: Issues Involved in the Discovery of Unsought Information

Wright, Linda; MacRae, Susan K; Gordon, Debra; Elliot, E.T.; Dixon, David; Abbey, Susan; Richardson, Robert

doi:10.1046/j.1525-139x.2002.00541.x

Cited by 39 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(15 reference statements)

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“…Wright does not overstate the case when claiming, " [d] isclosure will clearly change the family' s basic premises of membership and identity forever" (p. 203). 4 The list of potential casualties of nonpaternity disclosure includes (but may not be limited to) the social father, the genetic and social mother, the child in question, the genetic father, and the other children in the family. The list of potential casualties of nonmaternity disclosure includes (but may not be limited to) the social (gestational) mother, the genetic father, the child in question, future children that might be conceived, the genetic mother (the source of the oocyte), her partner, and her children.…”

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…10 A second, related prodisclosure argument is that (2) the child has a right to know about the IFNP of his or her parents. Typically explored in the bioethics literature using cases involving adult children who are being assessed as potential living donors for their parents, 4,11 many have argued that the adult child has the right to information about his or her genetic origin. 11,12 However, in cases involving adult children, all relevant patients are at the age of majority and can consent to the disclosure.…”

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…If providers have an obligation to tell patients the truth about their medical conditions, then, on this argument, withholding information in cases of IFNP is an ethical violation. 4,11,14 In the sense that deception undermines the physicianpatient relationship, it is indeed contrary to the physician' s duty to provide patients with inaccurate information. But a prohibition against deception is not the same as an obligation to reveal every piece of information about a case that a provider possesses.…”

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cases in which this information comes out when the patient is an adult (e.g., in a transplant situation) have borne this out. 4,11 In a neonatal or pediatric setting, there is the potential for many more damaging, life-altering consequences, as addressed in our discussion of point 2, the child' s right to know.…”

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

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Incidental Findings of Nonparentage: A Case for Universal Nondisclosure

Palmor

Fiester

2014

Pediatrics

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We advocate for the incorporation of a new clause into the consent forms for pediatric genetic testing that clearly states that any incidental information about parentage will not be revealed, regardless of the result. Using a case of misattributed maternity, we examine both the pro-and antidisclosure arguments. In the absence of arguments that clearly demonstrate irrevocable harm from nondisclosure and against a backdrop of arguments that compellingly highlight the potential for serious harms from disclosing incidental findings of nonparentage, we advocate for a universal, institution-wide policy of nondisclosure. Our proposed policy of universal nondisclosure not only provides a viable solution to the disclosure dilemma but also empowers patients to know what testing is available to them and to seek it out on their own terms, fully informed. With an easily implemented consent change, clinics can take a clear and firm stance in the disclosure debate. As a result, patients will be protected, policy will be widely understood, and cases will be resolved consistently and clearly. Ms Palmor conducted the original literature review, critically assessed the argument, wrote the second half of the first draft, and edited and formatted the complete manuscript; Dr Fiester conceptualized the paper, outlined the initial argument, wrote the first half of the first draft, revised the second half of the first draft, and revised and edited the completed manuscript; and both authors approved the final manuscript as submitted.www.pediatrics.org/cgi

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Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Anti-and Prodisclosure Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Incidental Findings of Nonparentage: A Case for Universal Nondisclosure

Palmor

Fiester

2014

Pediatrics

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“…Medical ethicists, recognizing that revealing nonpaternity to putative fathers may have strong negative effects on relationships with wives and children, often argue against disclosing nonpaternity, framing it as an issue of women's confidentiality (Lisker et al, 1998;Wertz et al, 1990). However, others argue that withholding information on nonpaternity from men is unethical, on the grounds that men always have the right to know if they have been cuckolded (Ross, 1996;Wright et al, 2002).…”

Section: Paternity Confidence and Paternal Investment In Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Demographic correlates of paternity confidence and pregnancy outcomes among Albuquerque men

Anderson

Kaplan

Lancaster

2006

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

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We examine the demographic correlates of paternity confidence, or men's assessment of the likelihood that they are the genetic father of a particular child. Evolutionary theory predicts that men will provide less parental investment for putative genetic offspring who are unlikely to be their actual offspring, but confidence of paternity has not been as extensively examined as its importance would merit. Using self-reported data on paternity confidence in 3,360 pregnancies reported by men living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we find that low paternity confidence is more common among unmarried couples and for unplanned pregnancies. We also find that men are more likely not to state paternity confidence (i.e., they refuse to answer the question) if a pregnancy is unplanned. We additionally examine the pregnancy outcomes associated with confidence of paternity. We find that low paternity confidence pregnancies are significantly more likely to be aborted, and pregnancies for which paternity confidence is unstated are more likely to be aborted or to miscarry. Both abortion and miscarriage are associated with unmarried couples, with unplanned pregnancies, and with couples who have fewer children together.

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When Should Genome Researchers Disclose Misattributed Pahentage?

Mandava¹,

Millum²,

Berkman³

2015

Hastings Center Report

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As analytic tools for genomic sequencing improve, biomedical research will increasingly use this method to draw inferences based on comparisons between the genetic data of a set of individuals thought to be related to each other. Cases in which genomic sequencing will be very useful include those in which a child has a rare or undiagnosed disease that might have an underlying genetic etiology. Researchers will be able to sequence the pediatric proband and both parents to compare their genomes in hopes of finding novel variants that point toward a diagnosis and perhaps to treatment. However, researchers are sure to discover that, in a growing number of cases, the assumed biological relationships between the individuals do not actually exist. Consequently, they will have to grapple with decisions about whether to return incidental findings of misattributed genetic parentage on a much larger scale than ever before. While we make no normative claims about whether individuals ought to value genetic relationships, the disclosure of information about misattributed parentage has the potential to affect familial relationships and notions of personal identity in many ways. Researchers need a decision‐making framework about disclosing this information that accounts for nonclinical factors alongside factors that the incidental findings literature already emphasizes as relevant. We argue that nondisclosure should be the default position for researchers. We begin by assessing the limited guidance that can be found in the literature on incidental research findings and on disclosure of misattributed parentage in the clinical setting. We then sketch the normative argument that underlies our position, providing a taxonomy of the possible harms and benefits of disclosure. We close by considering three objections: that nondisclosure may cause false beliefs in participants, that researchers may have relationships of trust with their participants that entail a duty to disclose, and that participant preferences should be solicited and followed. We close by suggesting ways in which the consent process could minimize possible harms related to nondisclosure.

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Disclosure of Misattributed Paternity: Issues Involved in the Discovery of Unsought Information

Cited by 39 publications

References 17 publications

Incidental Findings of Nonparentage: A Case for Universal Nondisclosure

Incidental Findings of Nonparentage: A Case for Universal Nondisclosure

Demographic correlates of paternity confidence and pregnancy outcomes among Albuquerque men

When Should Genome Researchers Disclose Misattributed Pahentage?

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