Contextualizing the Cultural and Medico-Legal Debate on Adult Genetic Testing

Abstract

In the context of genetic testing and screening, Germany and Israel generally represent contrasting legal regulations and professional outlooks, particularly in relation to reproductive, prenatal genetic testing and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This chapter locates the national policies regarding adult genetic testing against their cultural backdrop, and discusses the notion of ‘genetic responsibility’. We further focus on two paradigmatic cases of predictive genetic testing for late-onset diseases: Huntington’s disease and colon cancer.