When Risk is Framed as Certainty: Ethical Concerns in Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Polygenic Disorders (PGT-P) Communication.

Abstract

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Polygenic Disorders (PGT-P) emerged as a novel application of reproductive genetics. Through polygenic risk scores (PRS), proponents of PGT-P claim to predict a future child's genetic predisposition to multifactorial diseases. However, when probability is marketed as prediction, the ethical foundations of informed decision-making begin to erode. PGT-P relies on PRS to provide probabilistic information, and commercial providers frequently present these risk estimates as predictive, downplaying key limitations. This paper examines how promotional language surrounding PGT-P undermines informed reproductive decision-making and argues that portraying risk as certainty misrepresents scientific evidence and may emphasize narratives of genetic optimization.