Question

A couple has a child with cystic fribrosis. They want to know if they both carry the recessive gene, in which case they will have no more children, or if the child’s illness was the result of a spontaneous genetic change, as may happen at conception. The test results make it apparent to the counselor that the couple wil not have a child with cystic fribrosis, because the husband is not the child’s biological father.

1.Should the test results be kept confidential from other family members who are directly affected?

2. What would you do?

Answer 1

1. Should the test results be kept confidential from other family members who are directly affected?

This is an ethical dilemma. The counsellor has come to know that the child who is having cystic fibrosis, has a different biological father, and most probably the father is not aware about it. Yes, the test results should be kept confidential from other family members who are affected and should be disclosed to the wife or the couple first. It would be the decision of the couple, if they want to further disclose the results to the grandparents or other directly related members.

2. What would you do?

As a counsellor, it is my responsibility to address the query that the couple has come with. The couple is concerned if their next child would be affected, and the answer would be no. Hence, this is the answer that the counsellor has to convey to the couple. Further, if the counsellor wants, they could tell the wife that this is because the husband is not the biological father and if the wife wants, she could convey the news to her husband.