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September 14, 2007
Banning Genetic Discrimination
Excuse me? Are they really suggesting the banning of discrimination based upon someone's DNA? Seriously?
The Human Genetics Commission (HGC) will urge the Government to legislate to stop people's genetic make-up being used against them.
In theory, the measure could potentially stop people with a known predisposition to heart attacks from being denied life insurance or being turned down for a job.
The Commission will say that unfair discrimination based on genetics should be outlawed, just as ill-treating people because of their sex and race is prohibited.
Sir John Sulston, acting chairman of the HGC, said: “It would be a landmark. It's something we've clearly needed for a while.
"The law is there to protect minorities. What is unacceptable and unfair is discrimination between one person and another based on their genetic differences - that should be the default.”
So someone with cystic fibrosis will be charged the same amount for medical insurance as one without? Someone with Huntington's Chorea the same for a long term care insurance plan a one without? Someone with Turner Syndrome pays the same for life insurance as one without?
It'll certainly make the insurance industry an interesting place to be then.
September 14, 2007 in Politics | Permalink
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Comments
[It says that people known to be “pre-symptomatic” for serious, late-onset genetic conditions should be as well protected in law as those who are diagnosed with, but have no symptoms of, diseases such as HIV. ]
Cystic Fibrosis, Huntingdon's Chorea and Turner Syndrome aren't late-onset genetic conditions, HTH.
Posted by: dsquared | Sep 14, 2007 10:46:53 AM
As the sufferer of a non life threatening genetic condition which now impairs my ability to walk, talk, hold a pen and do a day's work from start to finish (not for want of trying), one can say, with hand on heart, that the life insurance industry trolls who thought up the concept of genetic discrimination can crawl straight back into their caves and bury themselves under 1000 tons of rock.
Posted by: Martin | Sep 14, 2007 12:26:23 PM
The whole issue is really quite overblown by the way - although pundits like to think that there is a one-to-one correspondence between "OHMIGODTHEGENETICMARKOFCAIN!!1!!" and what a life assurance actuary might care about, it's nothing like as straightforward as you might think. If someone has a genetic condition that gives them a chance of dropping down dead at the age of 60 after a lifetime spent paying premiums then they're pretty much the perfect life assurance client.
Posted by: dsquared | Sep 14, 2007 2:25:03 PM
In case anyone cares, I commented on this one the last time it came round:
http://timworstall.typepad.com/timworstall/2006/02/jamie_whyte.html
Posted by: dsquared | Sep 14, 2007 2:27:56 PM
