Ethical/legal issues informed consent

As the pediatric subgroup represents a vulnerable population, studies in children are endowed with specific challenges such as additional ethical (e.g., informed consent be obtained from the legal guardian) or clinical-technical (e.g., minimize the amount of blood drawn and the number of venipunctures) issues. 

Undeniably, genomics and pharmacogenomics opens up a whole host of legal, ethical, and societal issues that will have implications in patient confidentiality, discrimination, malpractice, and informed consent (135-137). However, as clinicians, scientists, and health care practitioners, we must always remember the unquestionable power of an individual s right to choose, and prospectively fight to ensure patients rights and prevent genomic discrimination. 

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