Untitled

Abstract

Biological non-paternity is sometimes discovered incidentally as a result of genetic testing for other medical purposes. Providers may then struggle when deciding what they should do. This question is profoundly important because providers' disclosing this information may be most destructive to families, and especially to children. This piece will review major concerns likely to arise in these cases. It will also present several different approaches care providers have taken in an attempt to resolve this dilemma both before and after this finding is discerned. The author will suggest that a framework not commonly applied to such questions, the Ethics of Care, may be particularly helpful to providers facing this question.