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Updated: May 17, 2026

Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
Approaches to informed consent for hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating clinical genomics research
Flavia M Facio1, Julie C Sapp, Amy Linn
1National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Informed consent for massively-parallel sequencing (MPS) studies can be clarified by distinguishing between hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating approaches. This distinction aids communication and addresses challenges with secondary findings in genetic research.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Bioethics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Massively-parallel sequencing (MPS) presents unique informed consent challenges due to large data volumes and unpredictable results.
- Ethical considerations for participant consent are complex in genomic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a framework for informed consent in massively-parallel sequencing studies.
- To differentiate consent processes based on whether MPS is used for hypothesis-testing or hypothesis-generating.
Main Methods:
- Described consent processes for two distinct MPS studies: one hypothesis-testing and one hypothesis-generating.
- Examined key issues including data volume, result types, return of findings, and participant privacy.
Main Results:
- Hypothesis-testing MPS studies focus on elucidating rare phenotypes.
- Hypothesis-generating MPS studies explore the feasibility of generating clinical hypotheses and treat result return as an experimental variable.
Conclusions:
- Categorizing MPS studies as hypothesis-testing or hypothesis-generating clarifies the handling of incidental/secondary findings.
- This categorization improves communication of research goals to participants and aids the informed consent process.
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