US doctors’ group says patients should have option not to know their DNA

In 2030, Joe Johnson goes to the doctor with vision problems. The doctor does what doctors in 2030 do for almost any ailment: she runs a full scan of the patient’s genome. The test gives the doctor crucial information she needs to understand Joe’s troubles — and then some. When Joe gets his lab report back his doctor discovers Joe has about an 80% chance of developing colorectal cancer. She advises him to receive regular colonoscopies, since the screenings could catch polyps that would be the precursor to the cancer. But Joe does not relish facing years of colonoscopies, nor is it a sure thing that his genetic mutation will lead to cancer. Read more.