Genetic information, rights, and autonomy

Rights, autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality are concepts commonly used in discussions concerning genetic information. When these concepts are thought of as denoting absolute norms and values which cannot be overriden by other considerations, conflicts among them naturally occur. In this paper, these and related notions are examined in terms of the duties and obligations medical professionals and their clients can have regarding genetic knowledge. It is suggested that while the prevailing idea of autonomy is unhelpful in the analysis of these duties, and the ensuing rights, an alternative reading of personal self-determination can provide a firmer basis for ethical guidelines and policies in this field.