Can I Be Sued for That? Liability Risk and the Disclosure of Clinically Significant Genetic Research Findings
Clayton, Ellen Wright
McGuire, Amy L.
Knoppers, Bartha Maria
Zawati, Ma'n H.
:
2014
Abstract
Genomic researchers increasingly are faced with difficult decisions about whether, under what circumstances, and how to
return research results and significant incidental findings to study participants. Many have argued that there is an
ethical—maybe even a legal—obligation to disclose significant findings under some circumstances. At the international
level, over the last decade there has begun to emerge a clear legal obligation to return significant findings discovered
during the course of research. However, there is no explicit legal duty to disclose in the United States. This creates legal
uncertainty that may lead to unmanaged variation in practice and poor quality care. This article discusses liability risks
associated with the disclosure of significant research findings for investigators in the United States