What Are Ethical Merits and Drawbacks of Viewing "Medical Mysteries" as Human Subject Research?

Patient-subjects' participation in an Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) protocol can afford access to innovative diagnostic techniques, especially in genomic medicine, which can shorten the time it takes to accurately diagnose a so-called "medical mystery." But UDN research processes can be complex...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:AMA Journal of Ethics Vol. 27; no. 10; pp. 718 - 726
Autores principales: Doyle, Tom A., Conboy, Erin
Formato: case study CEU Journal Article
Publicado: American Medical Association Oct2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Patient-subjects' participation in an Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) protocol can afford access to innovative diagnostic techniques, especially in genomic medicine, which can shorten the time it takes to accurately diagnose a so-called "medical mystery." But UDN research processes can be complex and involve many variables, which can suggest to some patient-subjects that having enrolled in a UDN protocol was not worthwhile. This commentary on a case rife with diagnostic ambiguity offers a dynamic model of consent that can both facilitate prospective UDN patient-subjects' assessment of potential risks and benefits of participating in diagnostic research and be a source of community engagement.