Advances in psychiatric genetics are likely to offer major diagnostic and therapeutic benefits, but also legal and social-related risks, to individuals who were diagnosed with, or have a proclivity for, psychiatric disorders. In response, courts and policy-makers will have to ensure that psychiatric genetic data are used to promote, and not to obstruct, equality, justice, and social inclusion.

Addictive disorders are increasingly conceptualized as biomedical diseases with genetic roots. While conventional wisdom has suggested that attributing addictions to genetics should have many benefits, there is reason to suspect that it could have some unintended, negative consequences. In particular, genetic explanations for addictive disorders could lead to the perception that people with addictions lack agency or self-efficacy to overcome their symptoms and to the belief that non-biomedical treatments, such as psychotherapy, are unlikely to be effective.

While newborn screening (NBS) programs have saved the lives of thousands of children with inherited disorders, the future success of this vital public health program depends on the ability to accurately assess and balance the benefits and harms of screening. The ongoing development of new testing technologies increases the number of disorders screened, which generates more false positive NBS results. Despite decades of research, the scope and magnitude of harms from false positive NBS results remain poorly understood.

Project Narrative. Advances in psychiatric, neurologic and behavioral (PNB) genetics have brought the prospect of predictive and diagnostic genomic testing for many PNB conditions closer to clinical application. The potential for such findings to profoundly affect core elements of personhood?including identity, perceived responsibilities, and life trajectories?makes it essential to understand the impact of such information on individuals and families.