On Genetic Discrimination

An article entitled “Fear of Insurance Trouble Leads Many to Shun or Hide DNA Tests” was published on the front page of the New York Times today, Sunday, February 24, 2008. This article discusses the possibility and implications of genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment. The article particularly describes the difficulties of Victoria Grove, who learned she has a genetic predisposition for Alpha-1 emphysema from a home test-kit. The use of her personal story was an effort on her behalf to create awareness of this problem. As the article provides a contemporary example of the implications of DNA testing and proposes the need for new legislation to protect people who are not specifically protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, it seems particularly relevant to our class discussions. Pick up a copy of the Times and skim over it for a new perspective on these issues.

 

Elizabeth Frankenfield

About these ads

~ by lizfrank on February 24, 2008.