Some have questioned whether or not it is ethical to inform individuals with population-screening MBL identified as part of research studies of their test results given the absence of evidence that population-screening MBL predicts a clinically important outcome (e.g. it lacks clinical validity as a predictor for developing CLL or other NHL subtypes) or that knowledge regarding population-screening MBL improves the subjects well-being (e.g. it lacks clinical utility).(36) It can, in fact, be argued that knowledge of low- count MBL may worsen an individual’s well-being by causing undue anxiety and/or exposing them to possible discrimination by employers or life/health insurers.(36) While there is consensus that research subjects should be informed of new information gained from their participation,(37) whether the presence of population-screening MBL constitutes “meaningful information” can only be defined through ongoing and future studies.(36)
