Public perception of prenatal genetic testing: arguments put forward by the public during a participatory policy project in the Netherlands

In early 2002, the Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport piloted the application of an interactive process to policy development in the field of medical biotechnology. In such an approach, relevant societal actors, including the public at large, are actively involved in an open exchange, planning, action and reflection process. This paper reports on the findings of one of the activities of the ministry within this initiative, the consultation of the public on dilemmas with respect to prenatal genetic testing by means of citizen panels. Participants were asked to reflect on questions with respect to whether and under which conditions pregnant women may have freedom of choice to use prenatal genetic testing. In a structured way, arguments in favour and against various positions were identified and prioritized. The paper closes with a discussion on the implications of the use of citizen panels and summarizes the 2 actual policy changes of the ministry that resulted from this process.