Is early screening/diagnosis always a good thing when no cure exists? Might it exacerbate the existing stigma of particular diseases like Alzheimer's? Does the benefit of early knowledge outweigh the costs to the individual in terms of their psychological wellbeing?

Screening debates often revolve around an assumption that the patient has the right to know about their health status. However, some people argue that screening may also undermine an individual's autonomy and that the process increasingly puts power and control in the hands of others. This may sound a little dramatic, but screening increasingly embraces the healthy, because we are all ‘at risk' of something.

Where do I stand with this? Let me say first of all that I've only touched on some of the questions and issues relating to the ethics of screening. I believe it is useful for everyone to decide for themselves and this decision will inevitably be informed by personal circumstances, spirituality, personal beliefs and values.