Major scientific advances in the molecular genetic understanding of psychiatric illness are associated with important ethical issues that must be considered carefully. Although many issues in psychiatric genetics are no different from those for other complex disorders, this combination of genetics and mental illness justifiably receives close scrutiny of ethical and psychosocial issues. It is well known that behavior genetics research has been misused in the past, most notoriously to support Nazi claims of racial superiority which had an important role in the Holocaust. It is, therefore, extremely important that relevant issues are considered and debated as early as possible and, where appropriate, ethical guidance and legal frameworks put in place to protect individuals and society against potential misuse of the new technologies and data. In recognition of its major importance, ELSI was an integral component of the Human Genome Project from its inception.
