GENETIC TESTS IN MINORS: A VULNERABLE PATIENT SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN...

Abstract

Traditionally, minority goes together with vulnerability. Indeed, whatever their age, minors are legally
considered as incapable who should be represented by
the persons who have the parental authority, parents in
most cases, and who should take the decision concerning them. However, since 2002, parental authority is
dealing with the new rights granted to minors in the
medical care relationship. They should, henceforth,
be systematically involved in decisions that affect their
health. The changing role of the minor in the medical
area also affects the clinical genetics field while leaving grey areas in the application of these rights and in
their effectiveness, in particular concerning the disclosure of genetic information to family members in the
scope of the procedure adopted in 2011.