Our Sunday newspaper has a supplement called the Parade magazine with a section called Ask Marilyn (who's supposed to be a really smart woman named Marilyn vos Savant). Today someone wrote in asking if they have a 50% chance of inheriting a terminal illness and can get a genetic test to see if they have the gene, how could they find out if the test is negative and they want to know, but if the test is positive they don't want to know?
The answer was to arrange to take the test with these conditions:
After the test, the doctor privately flips a coin marked positive and negative. If both results-the test and the coin flip- are negative, the doctor tells you the test results.
If either result is positive, or both are, you are not told anything. So you will not know whether the test result was positive or whether it was the coin flip that was positive.
If you wish, you can ask the doctor to flip the coin a second time. Again, if both results are negative, you hear the test result. If either is positive, or both are, you hear nothing.
Over the years, you can ask the doctor to flip the coin as many times as you wish. If the test result was negative you will be likely to hear it before long. But if you want to stop at three flips, you can. Regardless, if the test result was positive, you will never know for sure.
I have to say that in my opinion it sounds kind of confusing. Also, wouldn't you think if the doctor was kind he'd let you know the negative result? So if you don't hear anything wouldn't you sort of come to the conclusion it's positive? So I guess the bottom line is, I have to say that I'm not sure this post will help anyone...but I just thought it'd put it here since it's an interesting alternative to a straight answer.

I agree with you. I don't believe a doctor could go along with it and keep a straight face. But it is interesting.

Well you've got me laughing anyway. That has to be the most stupid thing I've ever heard regarding testing. If anyone is that scared to hear a positive result simply don't bother testing. The answer is just as bad as the question to be fair. That's basically someone asking for good news even if there isn't any.

You don't test to hear good news, you test to find out some seriously important information about yourself. Its knowledge and that person obviously isn't capable of handling it, they don't even seem capable of being at risk.

I'd suggest they have a really good think about things and start facing up to the reality of the situation.

[www.hdyo.org]

I read the same thing and I agree it is confusing.