I wonder because I’m struggling, after reading this to think of an area of life where the government hasn’t encroached, invaded, inveigled or legislated its way into, directly or via quangos and fake charities.
Genetic disease patients may lose privacy rights to protect families
New guidance for Britain’s 150,000 practising doctors could remove the right to confidentiality from patients with inherited diseases.
When a patient is found to have a genetic disease, such as certain forms of cancer, doctors will be obliged to inform relatives about potential risks to their health, the General Medical Council (GMC) says.
errrm… do fucking WHAT?
Who’s genome is it anyway? It’s mine. Not yours, not the state’s, not my parents’ or siblings’.
It isn’t even worth getting into arguing the nuances of the scheme. The above statement draws a line under it for me. My genome, my decision.
Doctors in this country are out of control.
AJ
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*clears throat*
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Damn. Still speechless…
““A patient might refuse to consent to the disclosure of information that would benefit others,” the guidance states. “In these circumstances, disclosure might still be justified in the public interest.” “
But wait a minute!
If it may only affect siblings or other relatives, how the hell can it be said to be in the public interest? We aren’t talking about a communicable disease here, after all…
The reality is, that anything that might affect close family will be discussed among themselves anyway – therefore, none of anyone else’s business. This is not a call that anyone else other than the individual concerned has any right to make.
Once again, we have the collective subsuming the individual. We are the Borg, etc, etc.
First, it’s voluntary. Then you’ll be legally required to disclose this info’ in the Public Interest’ of course. Then you’ll be ‘advised’ that you probably shouldn’t have kids. Then what? Compulsory sterilisation for genetically undesirables?
We’re a long way from that of course, but ‘Progressives’, from HG Wells onward seem to have been very keen on ‘racial hygiene’.