Congress Votes to Ban Genetic Discrimination, Passes 414-1

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http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.1158/news_detail.asp

May 1, 2008

Congress Votes to Ban Genetic Discrimination

By Jeff

Stier, Esq.

Congress has now passed legislation

 

to forbid employers and insurance companies of " discriminating "

against people on the basis of information gleaned from tests of their

genetic proclivity for disease. I haven't studied this in

depth, but forbidding the marketplace to use valid information rubs me

the wrong way.

Wouldn't the use of such information allow people with fewer genetic risk

factors to obtain less expensive (and more accurately priced)

insurance? How is this different from charging smokers more for

health insurance? Is just that smoking is voluntary but we refuse

to use information caused by involuntary factors?

Calling it genetic " discrimination " is in itself

discriminatory/conclusory. Perhaps offering discounts to those

without known genetic risk factors would serve to encourage people to get

the tests -- and if they tested positive, they'd be better prepared to

take protective action where possible.

I guess I'm in minority on this issue, though: No Senators voted against

the bill, and the vote in the House was 414-1, with only Rep. Ron Paul

opposed.

 

Jeff Stier is an associate director of the American Council on Science

and Health (ACSH.org,

HealthFactsAndFears.com)

..

 

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